So the greasy-headed “libertarian” took a COVID-19 test out an “abundance of caution,” and tested positive, but assures us he was not aware of any “direct contact” he may have experienced beforehand with anyone infected.

x Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19. He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person. Ã¢ÂÂ Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 22, 2020

I would humbly submit you generally don’t seek out a test like this out of the blue. If you do, you’re violating the guidelines for those who are tested because there is a severe shortage of tests to begin with. So if Paul is telling the truth about his lack of suspicions (which is what he’s implying in this tweet), then he shouldn’t have taken a test at all.

But let’s look at what his office actually tweeted. They say he was not aware of any “direct contact” with an infected person. But you don’t have to have a “direct” contact to believe you’ve possibly been infected. You can have “indirect” contact (“exposure”). So the fact that Paul says he knew of no “direct” contact with someone is meaningless. He may have been very much aware he was in proximity to someone who was infected. [Update: his office now admits he was in such proximity]

But whether Paul is lying or telling the truth, what you don’t do under any circumstances unless you’re A) a complete idiot or B) don’t give a damn about anyone else, is risk infecting others while you await your test results. You self-quarantine until you get those results. There is a reason for this other than being a decent, prudent human being. If you come back positive then you’ve gone and potentially infected others you’ve been in contact with. Pretty easy to figure out—especially for a so-called “doctor”--if you don’t intend to self quarantine, what’s the purpose of getting a test in the first place? Just to save your own ass, and to hell with everyone else?

Three different GOP senators told CNN that Paul was in the gym with colleagues this morning and several pointed out how close the Kentucky senator had sat to others during Senate lunches in recent days.

So Paul gets tested, then goes and chows down with his Senate colleagues, without telling them. Here he is, doing that.

x I took a picture inside the Senate GOP lunch when the door was open Friday and saw Rand Paul seated next to other senators. He is visible in this photo. pic.twitter.com/4qwZo5YdBs Ã¢ÂÂ Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 22, 2020

Then he goes and swims in the Senate pool (which shouldn’t be open in the first place), again without telling them.

x Apparently DOCTOR Rand Paul didnÃ¢ÂÂt quite get the (obvious) message that everyone must self-quarantine while awaiting results of a #COVID19 test. Completely defeats the point of testing if thatÃ¢ÂÂs not done. https://t.co/KdCz8MU3b8 Ã¢ÂÂ Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) March 22, 2020

x Here's Mitt Romney telling reporters that a group of senators had lunch with Rand Paul on Friday and he's now seeking advice as to whether he should self-quarantine pic.twitter.com/Y0uuww7rYe Ã¢ÂÂ Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 22, 2020

If I was one of the people who came within six feet of Rand Paul in the last three days, I’d be absolutely livid right now.