The Conversation (0)
Elaine McCallig
Feb 01, 2022
Liz Truss sits maskless alongside MPs hours before testing positive for Covid
The Independent
Liz Truss has tested positive for Covid, and everyone is saying the same thing.
Sharing the news to Twitter yesterday, the foreign secretary said she will be working from home until she recovers.
Her positive test means she will miss out on her trip to Ukraine with Boris Johnson to meet president Volodymyr Zelensky amid rising tensions with Russia.
I tested positive for Covid this evening.\n\nThankfully I\u2019ve had my three jabs and will be working from home while I isolate.— Liz Truss (@Liz Truss) 1643659802
She appeared in the Commons yesterday – without wearing a mask – to show the prime minister support during his statement on the partygate saga following the publication of Sue Gray’s report.
She was sat next to health secretary Sajid Javid, who was wearing a mask, and home secretary Priti Patel, who was not.
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Masks are no longer required by law in England, but the government advises people to continue wearing one in “crowded and enclosed spaces” where "you may come into contact with other people you do not normally meet."
Ms Truss then later attended a meeting open to all members of the parliamentary Conservative party where the PM addressed MPs and peers to rally support after what was described as a “difficult day”.
After she tweeted the news of her positive Covid test, people took to Twitter to share pictures of the maskless MP in the House of Commons.
Academic Dr Jennifer Cassidy tweeted that you “genuinely couldn’t write such a disastrous political script if you tried”.
Nothing like a good old: \u201cWe\u2019ve won the war on COVID\u201d speech, while very much having COVID when saying it. Never would I wish ill health on anyone. At any point. Truly wish for a speedy, healthy recovery for Liz Truss. Just next time, don\u2019t lie, over-sell, and wear a damn mask.pic.twitter.com/3iB8cgpXs0— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@Dr. Jennifer Cassidy) 1643665330
Good job you were wearing a mask to protect your colleagues in the house this afternoon.pic.twitter.com/ZGPOjlricz— Sunlit Uplands (@Sunlit Uplands) 1643660058
Liz Truss has tested positive for covid. She attended the packed meeting of Tory MPs and ministers in Portcullis House this evening, leaving before it finished. She was not wearing a mask.— Kate McCann (@Kate McCann) 1643660015
@trussliz, unmasked on front benches in the Commons this afternoon, has now tested positive this evening for #COVID19pic.twitter.com/1IIW6zLUqj— Anna Botting (@Anna Botting) 1643660038
Liz Truss has tested positive for covid-19. Here she is today, in a crowded area, not wearing a mask.pic.twitter.com/R81o0pRAGP— Larry the Cat (@Larry the Cat) 1643669695
A few hours later, Liz Truss who spent the day maskless in Parliament, tested positive for covid.https://twitter.com/Haggis_UK/status/1488206887053058055\u00a0\u2026— Brendan May (@Brendan May) 1643663887
Truss is the second Cabinet member to test positive for the virus in recent days.
Yesterday morning education secretary Nadhim Zahawi shared that he is working from home as he recovers.
Some pointed out that their positive announcements were almost identical.
Word-for-word identical second sentences. You'd think that they might alter that memo from Tory HQ, even if only slightly. #ToriesOutNow #ToriesUnfitToGovernpic.twitter.com/twL4NdBlkw— Andy \ud83d\udc99 (@Andy \ud83d\udc99) 1643664867
Zahawi seemingly jazzed up his “intro” a bit more, while Truss dropped the injection emojis.
It’s all very “sure, copy my homework. But change it a bit so no one notices”...
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