- Moses Lake, WA
Republican 13th District State Representative Tom Dent contracted COVID-19 back on October 7th of 2020 and is recovering from his symptoms. The 70-year-old representative said that he believed to have contracted the virus in early October and has experienced a variety of the symptoms including fatigue, headaches, and body aches. Dent said the worst was the muscle pains, the fever, and significant loss of energy.
Dent was on a Yakima conservative radio show 1280am KIT and discussed about his symptoms and said "I don't recommend it and you don't want it... It went away for a bit and then came back stronger". "I thought we kicked it out of the state by now but it affects us all a little different that's what I've learned" he continued. Dent said that Inslee handled COVID-19 appropriately "because he didn't know what the virus was". Dent then said that as people gained knowledge about COVID-19 resections should of eased allowing those to do what they want to do. He added that mental health in children rose 30-40%.
Tom Dent is considered in the vulnerable age group and is at high risk for being hospitalized if contracted a high strain of COVID-19. So far Dent hasn't been hospitalized for COVID and is recovering at home. 1280am radio hosts asked Dent if his attitude towards the COVID-19 virus changed after contracting it. Dent said,
"From the different people I have talked to about their symptoms they went through and stuff, it seems like it wasn't as bad as what they led us to believe"
Due to the contraction of COVID-19 the Republican politician has canceled his virtual campaign forums scheduled for Moses Lake and ellensburg the largest city and town in his district.
Dent has opposed steps taken by Gov. Jay Inslee to combat the virus, including a mandate that agricultural growers create larger living areas for visiting orchard workers. Dent is campaigning to keep his seat in the House of Representatives. For the year 2020 he is running against 27-year-old Democrat Eduardo Castañeda-Diaz veteran of Quincy.