State Senator speaks out after being criticized for traveling to Florida

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    ATLANTA, GA (WGCL) — A Georgia lawmaker is under fire for his decision to leave the state and travel to his second home in Florida a couple of weeks after testing positive for the Coronavirus.

Senator Bruce Thompson told CBS46 that he suffers from asthma, allergies and almost lost his life when he contracted Covid-19 and that his doctor recommended he rehab in Florida.

“We were ready to go self-isolate and hunker down like what was required,” Thompson said. “The medical team is a part of my recovery. My lungs are about 65-70% and they said it would be good for you to go to a warmer climate with salt air and continue to isolate even though you are far beyond your 14-days.”

While on his way to St. George Island along the panhandle, Thompson received a phone call from the Sheriff in Franklin County Florida.

“We had a nice conversation I believe, he asked the question of why I would come, as many people had asked. I said I’m certainly not coming for vacation; we were coming as a part of rehab,” Thompson said.

Then, Sheriff A.J. “Tony” Smith voiced his concerns publicly on Facebook, noting that he had asked people not to visit the area.

“We’re scared and a lot of people in the community are. We don’t want to contract this disease,” Smith said.

Hundreds of people reacted, many blasting the senator for not staying at home in Georgia.

One person said, “Pretty arrogant behavior by the Senator.”

Another said, “Shame on him for coming to St. George. A lawmaker who doesn’t abide by the quarantine ordinance.”

And there was this, “Class act Sheriff; Senator from Georgia not so much!”

“We are going to do everything in our power to make sure that if there is any kind of virus that he may have brought here that we do everything we can to make sure folks don’t come in contact,” Smith said.

The Sheriff even assigned a deputy to Thompson’s home. Soon after that the Senator returned to Georgia.

“I was far beyond 14-days of isolation and so was my family of being exposed. So, the best of our knowledge following the professionals I was no longer a carrier or contagious and I certainly was not going to go around people anyway,” Thompson said.

Thompson said he returned to Georgia so he wouldn’t be a distraction. He also said never interacted with anyone and didn’t even get out of his car while traveling. Rumors that he went to a grocery store or was escorted out of Florida he said were false.

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