Covid-19 cases are surging across the U.S. and that is a fact. Americans have experienced more than 100,000 cases of Covid every day for the last two weeks. Deaths and hospitalizations from the relentless virus are also on the rise.

Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted this the same day that more than 166,000 Americans tested positive for Covid.

On Nov. 16, more than 166,000 Americans tested positive for Covid while 796 Americans died. Sen. Cruz’s tweet goes directly against all of the advice and evidence from scientists and health experts trying to slow the spread of the virus. The most important tool to stop the spread is for people to wear masks the entire time that they are gathering indoors.

“Some of these far-left senators like Senator Brown just can’t help themselves on their desire to want to lecture people on these kinds of issues, whether it’s lecturing other US senators or lecturing working families, and I think it’s a put-off,” Sen. Dan Sullivan said on Fox News. “People recognize the challenges — we’re going to get through these challenges — but to be lectured or preached to by senior officials is something that I think is not, not, I certainly didn’t appreciate.”

The tweet immediately drew outrage for people ready to get the virus under control.

Americans have been forced to live with the virus since March as the federal government has refused to respond. President Trump has criticized people for wearing masks despite the evidence that the masks are the best tool we have to fight the virus.

Some people have focused on the fact that Sen. Cruz is unconcerned about the safety of the stenographer.

“The fact is that every time a senator stands up and speaks, there is a Senate stenographer about six feet away, and senators that don’t wear masks are putting them at risk,” Sen. Brown said on CNN about the exchange. “I know that Ted Cruz doesn’t see the Senate stenographer because she is — it’s always a she in these cases — one of those essential workers that usually doesn’t get paid a lot of money and exposes themselves, those essential workers, to the public and then goes home anxious at night about potentially infecting their families.”

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley confirmed a positive Covid test result the next day.

Sen. Grassley tested positive for Covid a day after Sen. Cruz claimed that wearing a mask indoors is virtue signaling. The virus is currently surging across the country and leading health experts are warning of the dangers of traveling this holidays season. The CDC told Americans to avoid traveling for Thanksgiving the day after the U.S. crossed the grim milestone of 250,000 Covid deaths.

“The tragedy that could happen is that one of your family members from coming to this family gathering and they could end up severely ill, hospitalized or dying. And we don’t want that to happen,” Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s COVID-19 incident manager, said during a press briefing. “These times are tough, it’s been a long outbreak, almost 11 months or and we understand people are tired.”

He added: “We understand that people want to see their family and relatives and do it as they’ve always done it. But this year we’re asking them to limit their travel.”

More than 250,000 Americans have died from Covid and rhetoric like this can be dangerous.

Health experts are urging Americans to wear their masks, especially when they are indoors. States and cities across the country still have masks mandates in place to protect their residents from spreading the virus.

READ: How To Safely Gather For The Holidays In The Time Of Covid