Spanberger "covid hood" - screen grab abc news. (c)
Spanberger "COVID HOOD" - Screen grab ABC News. (C)

Photo of Abigail Spanberger’s ‘COVID-19 Hood’ go viral as internet explodes with laughter and outrage

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1 min read
October 12, 2025

Richmond, VA – A photo of Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate and New Jersey native Abigail Spanberger wearing a large plastic hood spread rapidly across social media this week, igniting political debate and partisan attacks.

The image, circulated by a MAGA-aligned account, appeared to show Spanberger sealed inside an awkward protective mask, supposedly over fear of COVID.

Critics mocked her as overly cautious, using the picture to question her judgment and leadership in the heat of the pandemic.

But within hours, the viral outrage began to unravel.

Fact-checkers and a Community Note on X revealed the image wasn’t from the COVID era at all — it was taken on January 6, 2021, during the protest on the U.S. Capitol, when lawmakers were ordered to put on emergency escape hoods as rioters stormed the building.

What the photo really shows

The “hood” in question is a standard-issue emergency escape device, kept in every office across the Capitol complex.

The equipment is designed to protect against smoke, tear gas, and other airborne threats in the event of an attack or evacuation. Members of both parties used the same hoods that day as security officials rushed to secure the House chamber amid chaos.

Context behind the misinformation

The misleading tweet attempted to reframe a moment of national crisis as a scene of pandemic panic.

Spanberger is now running for governor against Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, with the race set to be decided in November.

The photo that sparked ridicule ended up revealing far more about that day — and the dangers faced by those inside the Capitol — than about COVID precautions.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

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