Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris is speaking out after her campaign travel was suspended. On Thursday morning, Jen O’Malley Dillon, Joe Biden‘s campaign manager, confirmed in a statement that the campaign had canceled all upcoming travel for Harris after two people – a non-staff light crew member and Harris’ communications director, Liz Allen – had recently tested positive for the coronavirus.
Addressing the news in a statement shared to Twitter just minutes later, Harris said that she had learned of the two positive test results “late last night” and that she has had two “negative tests this week” and is not currently “showing symptoms” of the virus. She added that although she had recently been aboard a flight with the two individuals, she “wasn’t in close contact — as defined by the CDC — with either during the 2 days prior to their positive tests.” Harris went on to explain that both of the individuals “were wearing N95 masks at all points they were near me,” and said that “doctors believe that we were not exposed under CDC guidelines.”
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Late last night, I learned a non-staff flight crew member & a member of my team tested positive for COVID. I wasn’t in close contact—as defined by the CDC—with either during the 2 days prior to their positive tests.
I’ve had 2 negative tests this week & am not showing symptoms.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 15, 2020
Out of an abundance of caution, she said, “I will cancel travel through Sunday and continue to campaign virtually.” The California senator, who accepted her party’s vice-presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August, vowed to “be transparent with you about any test results that I do receive.” She concluded her statement, which was retweeted by Biden, by encouraging others to “wear a mask, practice social distancing, and wash your hands regularly. It is possible to stop the spread.”
In a statement earlier released to Biden’s campaign site, O’Malley Dillon explained that the two individuals had been aboard a flight with Harris prior to receiving positive test results, though the senator “was not within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes with either of them.” Those individuals had tested negative for the virus both before and after the flight.
Although Harris has two PCR tests for coronavirus since Oct. 8 and has tested negative, keeping in line with the Biden campaign’s “commitment to the highest levels of precaution,” the campaign has canceled all of Harris’ travel plans through Sunday, Oct. 18th. Campaign travel for Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, has also been canceled as a precaution. Emhoff has taken three PCR tests, all of which have been negative and is set to return to in-person campaigning on Friday.
