Joe Biden’s campaign has paused travel of his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, after two people — a flight crew member and Harris’ communications director, Liz Allen — tested positive for coronavirus.
Biden campaign manager’s Jen O’Malley Dillon released a statement:
“Neither of these people have had contact with Vice President Biden, Senator Harris or any other staffers since testing positive or in the 48 hours prior to their positive test results,” O’Malley Dillon said per CNN.
“After being with Senator Harris, both individuals attended personal, non-campaign events in the past week. Under our campaign’s strict health protocols, both individuals had to be tested before returning to their work with the campaign from these personal events,” she said.
“These protocols help protect the campaign, the staff, and anyone who they may have contact with; the importance of having such protocols — which include testing before resuming duties, regular testing while working in-person, isolation after time off, and masking and distancing while on campaign duties — have been illustrated once again.”
The decision is a stark contrast to the way Donald Trump’s campaign and the White House handled test results from Trump and other White House staffers.
Trump continued to play down the severity of the virus, even leaving the hospital to have a member of the Secret Service drive him around so that he could wave to his supporters. The first lady, Melania Trump, Trump’s son Barron Trump and other high-ranking members of the GOP also tested positive.
He now says he’s “immune” from COVID-19, calling it a “blessing” from God.
