Sen. Tillis gets doctor's approval to end coronavirus quarantine, joins Barrett hearing in person

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Sen. Tillis on the Supreme Court vacancy, how to proceed

Senate Judiciary Committee member Thom Tillis joins 'Bill Hemmer Reports' with insight.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., announced Tuesday that he is cleared by his doctor to return to public life after testing positive for coronavirus in early October.

Tillis, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined the second day of Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearings in person after attending the first day virtually because of his diagnosis.

He, like other senators when not speaking, was spotted wearing a mask in the hearing room.

"Knowing that you had Mild Covid-19, originally tested positive on 10/02/20, do not suffer from immunosuppression, never had a fever, and remained asymptomatic for the last 8 days gives me great confidence that you have met our guidelines for ending isolation as of 4 pm today," Tillis' physician Dr. Jack Faircloth wrote in a letter Monday.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-S.C., listens during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Tillis, 60, thanked his doctors in a statement on Tuesday and said he plans to participate in two coronavirus studies.

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"As we all know, COVID-19 is a very contagious and deadly virus, and I am proud to enroll in the antibody research study through Atrium Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health and volunteer to participate in UNC-Chapel Hill’s immunology study and help however I can to end COVID," he said in a statement.

Tillis had participated in a debate with Democratic opponent Cal Cunningham, who is grappling with revelations of an extramarital affair, just one day before testing positive.

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Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, was diagnosed with coronavirus a day before Tillis. Lee was present Monday morning for Barrett's hearing.