Nearly 200 Members Of Congress At A Higher Risk Of COVID-19

The recessed Congress is in a dangerous quandary. Many members are at higher risk of getting severely ill from the coronavirus.

Seniors, 65 years and older, are at higher risk of complications related to Covid-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About half of the 100-member Senate is 65 or older. So are 146 of the House representatives. Six U.S. lawmakers are reportedly suffering from Covid-19. The average age of representatives is 58 and senators 63.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., turned 80 this week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is 78.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., is 80 and Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., is 79. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is 55 and House Republican Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., is 54.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., weighs in at 75, but Minority Leader Chuch Schumer, D-N.Y., is a mere 69. McConnell's backup, Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., is 59.

Congress is in recess without a definitive end date. Both chambers had a scheduled break that would end April 20 but the coronavirus has left that up in the air. Some members are seeking alternatives to meeting in Washington such as voting remotely. Zoom, FaceTime, Skype and WhatsApp offer video chat platforms that may be able to help replace meetings and conferences.