Kamala Harris pauses travel due to positive COVID-19 cases on team

Senator and Joe Biden’s vice presidential running mate, Kamala Harris, has paused her campaign’s travel due to multiple test-positive coronavirus cases within her team.

In an update published from the Biden-Harris campaign, the team detailed information regarding two members of Harris’ direct group that have tested positive for coronavirus.

“Late on the night of Wednesday, October 14th, we learned that two individuals involved in the campaign tested positive for COVID-19: a non-staff flight crew member and Liz Allen, communications director to Senator Harris,” reads the statement.

• See also:
  • Coronavirus-infected Trump halts American COVID-19 relief
  • President Trump says catching coronavirus was a “blessing from God”
  • Former Vice President Joe Biden and wife test negative for coronavirus

The team says that Harris did not come into close contact with either of these people.

“Regardless, out of an abundance of caution and in line with our campaign’s commitment to the highest levels of precaution, we are canceling Senator Harris’s travel through Sunday, October 18th,” continues the update. “She will keep a robust and aggressive schedule of virtual campaign activities to reach voters all across the country during this time.”

According to the statement, both individuals have been in attendance at personal events, outside of the current campaign, which prompted coronavirus testing prior to their return to the campaign.

Both parties will be subject to contact tracing.

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

“I’ve had 2 negative tests this week & am not showing symptoms,” Harris wrote on Twitter.

The campaign team states, “Prior to their time off, both individuals were on a flight with Senator Harris on October 8th. During the flight, Senator Harris wore an N95 mask, as did both individuals.”

“She was not within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes with either of them. As such, she does not meet the CDC definition of ‘close contact’ for exposure. In addition, both before and after the flight both individuals tested negative.”

Since testing positive, neither individual has been in contact with campaign personnel or Harris.

“The campaign has begun the contact tracing process to notify everyone who came into contact with the individuals during the potential infection window. The laboratory which conducts tests on our behalf has reported these results, as they do all of our test results, to local officials as required by law,” continued the statement.

“We are also communicating with our campaign staff.”

“From the outset of this pandemic, the Biden-Harris campaign has taken every precaution to limit the spread of COVID-19. Today’s exceedingly cautious steps are part of that commitment.”