Texas Representative Louie Gohmert (R-Tx) has been called a leader of the “anti-mask” movement. These are people who believe that the masks are totally ineffective and can cause harm to any individual who wears them.

Earlier today, it was announced that Gohmert had tested positive for the virus more than once and is believed to be carrying the virus.

The president invited me to go with him to West Texas, even though I’m an East Texas guy, and before you go anywhere with the president or have a meeting with the president we always are tested, and they have a real quick test and the quick test was positive, and they said sometimes we get false positives,” he said.

“And so they did the one where they stick the swab way back up in your sinuses. And anyway that one came back, it takes a little longer to get the answer, but it was positive. So, I didn’t have any of the symptoms that you see listed for the coronavirus. But anyway, now I need to self-quarantine,” he added.

Gohmert said that he would self-quarantine, but his definition of a “quarantine” seems to differ with the actual definition, which calls for the person to be “isolated” and not in contact with other people.

But, but no, I will be religiously wearing a mask as I leave the building. I will not be around anybody for the next 10 days without making sure that I have a mask, because that’s the real danger once you have it, giving it to somebody else, and that’s when a mask is most important,” Gohmert said.

It might sound admirable that Gohmert will be wearing the mask “religiously” now but “quarantine” means not being around other people and being in “strict isolation.” Someone also needs to inform the congressman that now that he has apparently contracted the virus, that he must wear a mask all the time, not just when “around other people” — something he isn’t supposed to even be doing. His breathing on anything or touching anything at this point very well could have him spreading the virus when not directly with other people. For example, Gohmert could be doing something alone in a location (maskless) and leave the virus on things he may have touched or breathed on. Then someone else comes along and picks up the virus he left.

There are already reports that after finding out he had the coronavirus, Gohmert showed up in person to tell his staff (vs teleconference or another remote way)

Maybe by “religiously” Gohmert means he will wear the mask once a week.

The CDC has recommended that persons with the virus should avoid any contact with others while quarantining. From the CDC website:

Isolation is used to separate people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from people who are not infected.

People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. In the home, anyone sick or infected should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific “sick room” or area and using a separate bathroom (if available).

Gohmert also fueled more conspiracy theories by saying wearing a mask recently may have given him the virus.

“I can’t help but think that if I hadn’t been wearing a mask so much in the last 10 days or so, I really wonder if I would have gotten it,” he said in an interview with The American Independent.

In a later statement on Twitter, he explained that he often touches his face while wearing his mask to make it comfortable. “I can’t help but wonder if that put some germs in the mask,” he said.

There is no credible scientific evidence to back up what Gohmert claims.

Gohmert was also seen not wearing a mask when he entered Tuesday’s hearings “within arm’s length” of Attorney General William Barr. The administration is reporting that Barr will be tested for the virus as a precaution. Barr was not wearing a mask when they were in close proximity. Gohmert was also chastised by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler during the hearing for not wearing a mask.

Gohmert was a vocal critic of mask wearing and even insisted that his staff, including unpaid interns not wear a mask to show America “how to open up again safely.”