California Gov. Gavin Newsom in quarantine after children exposed to COVID-19

Gov. Gavin Newsom is quarantining for two weeks after three of his children were exposed to a California Highway Patrol officer with COVID-19, Newsom’s office announced Sunday night.

His office says he will continue to act as governor while he quarantines.

He and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, learned late Friday evening that three of their four children were exposed. Although the parents did not have direct contact with the officer, the whole family is now quarantining. All of them tested negative Sunday and will continue to be tested regularly, according to Newsom’s office.

At a press conference Monday, Newsom said having his youngest child, 4-year-old Dutch, sit still for a nasal swab test was “an episode itself.”

Newsom said he consulted state and local guidelines to inform his family’s decision to quarantine, and said health experts on his team advised him to wait 48 hours after what they believe was his children’s initial exposure to the officer. Scientists and public health experts believe people don’t begin shedding the virus until at least a couple of days after they are infected, meaning a negative test result immediately after exposure could give a false sense of safety.

Newsom said he and his family quarantined informally through the weekend but officially began their 14-day quarantine on Sunday.

The Newsom household also includes an au pair, a person from overseas who lives with his family to help with childcare, Newsom said. She also tested negative.

In a post on Twitter, Newsom thanked the California Highway Patrol officers who serve as a security detail for his family.

“We are grateful for all the officers that keep our family safe and for every frontline worker who continues to go to work during this pandemic,” Newsom wrote.

One of Newsom’s children was already quarantining after a possible exposure to an infected classmate. California’s positive test rate has climbed past 5%, and the state’s infections are rising at their fastest rate since the pandemic began in March.

On Thursday, Newsom announced a 10 p.m. curfew for Californians in an effort to curb coronavirus spread.

The Democratic governor has faced intense backlash for attending a party on Nov. 6 with several other households, even though he has been urging other Californians to avoid gathering with friends and extended family while the pandemic rages through the state. He has apologized and said attending the party was a “bad mistake.