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California sheriff who resisted enforcing coronavirus restrictions tests positive

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The sheriff of a California county who resisted enforcing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide mask order to curb the coronavirus, has tested positive for COVID-19.

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In a news release Wednesday, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said that Sheriff Scott Jones tested positive for COVID-19.

Jones’ symptoms were described by the sheriff’s office as mild, KCRA reported. Jones’ symptoms included fever, congestion, lightheadedness and a headache, the television station reported. The sheriff’s office said that as of Wednesday afternoon, Jones had “almost no remaining symptoms.”

NEWS RELEASE: SHERIFF JONES TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 Yesterday, December 1st, Sheriff Scott Jones received positive...

Posted by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Jones reportedly was exposed to another employee who also tested positive, KXTV reported. Jones began experiencing symptoms last week and was tested for the virus, the television station reported.

Jones received the positive results on Tuesday, according to the news release.

The sheriff is one of dozens of employees in the sheriff’s office who have contracted COVID-19, CNN reported.

Rodney Grassmann, a spokesperson for the sheriff, told CNN that Jones was doing well.

“The sheriff is an elected public official so he wanted to share the diagnosis with the public but at the same time this is a medical condition and thus a private matter for the sheriff and his family,” Grassmann told the network.

Jones said in June that he would recommend people wear masks around high-risk groups or wherever required by Newsom’s mask mandate, but added he would not have his deputies enforce the order.

“However, due to the minor nature of the offense, the potential for negative outcomes during enforcement encounters, and anticipating the various ways in which the order may be violated, it would be inappropriate for deputies to criminally enforce the Governor’s mandate,” Jones said in the June release. “Accordingly, the Sheriff’s Office will not be doing so.”

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