A member of the charter flight crew who shuttled Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to campaign stops in Ohio and Florida this week has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement by the former vice president.
Biden was never in close proximity to the individual during the flights and is not required to isolate, the campaign said.
Biden’s town hall in Philadelphia was still set for 8 p.m. Thursday at the same time as President Donald Trump’s competing televised event in Miami.
»HAPPENING NOW: Trump to hold town hall in Florida at same time as Biden event
The positive test came as a result of contact tracing by the campaign following a positive diagnosis of Sen. Kamala Harris' communications director and a non-staff flight crew member, ABC News reported.
“During our contact tracing, we discovered around noon today that a member of the company that charters my airplane has also tested positive for COVID,” Biden tweeted at 4:36 p.m. Thursday. “This crew member was on the plane with me, but was more than 50 feet away. My COVID test from last night came back negative.”
Earlier Thursday, Biden’s campaign issued a statement, saying he had not come into contact with any of the individuals who tested positive in Harris' camp.
Campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement that “an administrative member of the Aviation company that charters Vice President Biden’s aircraft tested positive for COVID-19” around noon Thursday. “Given these facts, we have been advised by the Vice President’s doctor and the campaign’s medical advisors that there is no need for the Vice President to quarantine,” she said.
»UPDATE: Kamala Harris COVID negative after top staffer tests positive
Harris also tested negative for the virus Thursday following two negative tests earlier in the week, according to reports.
Liz Allen, Harris' campaign communications director, and two other members of the campaign’s traveling party tested COVID-19 positive Wednesday night.
Like Biden, Harris is not believed to have come into close contact with Allen or the other two people infected.
Harris and Biden spent several hours together that day through multiple campaign stops, private meetings and a joint appearance in front of reporters at an airport. They were masked at all times in public, and aides said they were masked in private, as well.
Erring on the side of caution, Harris has suspended her campaign events through Sunday.
Trump, meanwhile, has returned to holding large campaign rallies this week after doctors cleared him for public events following his recovery from the coronavirus after a three-day hospitalization at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Trump would be at least 12 feet from the moderator, “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, and the audience, which will be socially distanced, required to wear a mask and submit to a temperature check before entering the venue, NBC said.
Meanwhile, Biden’s town hall in Philadelphia, which will be moderated by George Stephanopoulos, will air on ABC at the same time as Trump’s but will run for 90 minutes.
A final debate between Trump and Biden is scheduled for Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.
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