AOC reveals she has COVID after partying maskless at Miami drag brunch

Democrat Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she has caught COVID – days after she was snapped partying maskless at a Miami drag brunch. 

The Bronx Representative, 32, made the announcement on her official Twitter page Sunday night, sharing a statement on House of Representatives headed paper which said: ‘Representative Ocasio-Cortez has received a positive test result for COVID-19.

‘She is experiencing symptoms and is recovering at home. The Congresswoman received her booster shot this Fall, and encourages everyone to get their booster and follow all CDC guidance.’

AOC then added some of her own guidance in a follow-up tweet, writing: ‘For information on what to do if you’re exposed to COVID, test positive or want to schedule a test or vaccine in New York City — see our round-up of CDC and NYC resources here,’ before adding a link to a personal website. 

News of AOC’s diagnosis triggered online mockery, with one commentator saying AOC shouldn’t have visited Florida, and another mocking the lawmaker’s claim that conservatives angry about her trip to the Sunshine State were actually harboring a secret crush on her

It is unclear when or how AOC became infected. 

Despite staunchly advocating for mask and vaccine mandates, AOC abandoned her own rhetoric last week during a trip to Miami, Florida, where she was spotted maskless at numerous venues.

Her vacation was dragged on Twitter by conservatives, including a Twitter account devoted to and endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, which invited her to ‘enjoy a taste of freedom’ in the Sunshine State.

‘Welcome to Florida, AOC! We hope you’re enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL’s leadership,’ the tweet, by the Team DeSantis account, read.

Ocasio-Cortez responded to photos and criticism online with a tweet saying: ‘Hasn’t Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? If he’s around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here.’ 

It’s not known where she caught the virus, although she was pictured partying maskless during a brunch event in South Beach, Miami, on January 2

News of her diagnosis sparked mockery online, with one reply to the Twitter announcement berating Ocasio-Cortez for taking the trip to Florida during a time when Covid cases reached a record high.

Another joked about AOC’s assertion that anyone criticizing her for the rules-free trip actually harbored a crush on her, writing: ‘The virus just wants to date you.’ 

But on January 2, AOC was pictured getting up close and personal with pals at a drag brunch at the Palace Bar on Miami’s South Beach.

She was snapped cuddling maskless with Pose star Billy Porter, and basking in the attention of other attendees, who were evidently thrilled to be in the presence of the star lawmaker. 

It is unclear if Porter was also infected, or exposed, and he has yet to comment in the wake of AOC’s diagnosis. 

Florida confirmed a record 150,251 Covid cases January 4, around the time of AOC’s visit; its numbers have dropped markedly since, with 26,588 new cases reported Sunday. 

It’s not known where she caught the virus; 1,928 cases were confirmed Sunday in Washington, DC, while 81,388 tests came back positive in her home state of New  York.

Her presence in Florida, a state that she had long criticized for its lax coronavirus restrictions during earlier waves of the pandemic appeared to irk some Republicans and conservative journalists who became tired of her using the southern state as an example of how not to do things.

AOC has tested positive for COVID days after she was pictured partying maskless in Miami with actor Billy Porter (pictured in animal print)

AOC and Porter hugged during the outdoor event – he has yet to comment on her diagnosis, and its unclear if the Pose star has himself been exposed or infected 

‘AOC is STILL lounging it up in Florida, in large crowds and maskless. This time at a Drag Queen bar in Miami. Rules for thee but not for me,’ wrote right wing journalist Brendon Leslie.

‘For those of you with zero sense of humor: the whole point of this post is to expose hypocrisy. We don’t actually care she’s maskless. We care she fear mongers about Florida but then has the audacity to vacation here,’ he added.

‘AOC was spotted partying in a bar maskless in the great free state of Florida. Absolute hypocrite,’ tweeted Twitter account Libs of Tik Tok.

AOC’s trip to the drag brunch thrilled attendees – but the lawmaker was accused of hypocrisy for backing draconian COVID rules, then jetting off to vacation in a state famed for having none

AOC was also snapped enjoying cocktails at a Miami sushi restaurant with boyfriend Riley Roberts, with Roberts’ Birkenstocks sparking a subsequent war of words between the firebrand congresswoman and conservative commentators 

The progressive congresswoman was blasted by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for backing draconian restrictions in New York, then coming to the Sunshine State and enjoying its lack of COVID-19 protocols. 

Right-wing commentator Brendon Leslie took aim at AOC after news of the event emerged, and accused her of hypocrisy. 

AOC’s jaunt to Florida also saw her sip cocktails at an outdoor sushi restaurant with her boyfriend Riley Roberts. 

Roberts was snapped wearing a pair of Birkenstocks with bare feet, prompting jokes from Republicans, and subsequent backlash from AOC who accused conservatives of being sexually frustrated.  

Hitting back, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted: ‘If Republicans are mad they can’t date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend’s feet. Ya creepy weirdos.’