Harris suspends travel — 2 on team carry virus
WASHINGTON — California Sen. Kamala Harris has suspended her campaign travel through Sunday after two members of her staff and crew tested positive for the coronavirus, her campaign said Thursday.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee’s communications director, Liz Allen, and a member of her campaign flight crew tested positive, the campaign said in a statement. Neither has been in close contact with Harris in recent days, the campaign said. The statement did not give the condition of either person.
Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, also canceled travel Thursday, but plans to resume his schedule Friday, as he has had no contact with either Allen or the unnamed crew member, the campaign said.
Harris has been off the campaign trail this week for the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Harris opted to participate remotely from her Senate office for the Judiciary Committee hearings after two Republican members of the panel tested positive for the virus.
Harris and Emhoff both tested negative Thursday, the campaign said. Allen and the crew member both tested positive late Wednesday.
Harris, 55, last flew with the two on Oct. 8, the day after she debated Vice President Mike Pence in Salt Lake City. All wore N95 masks on the flight, her campaign said. Harris intends to resume campaign travel Monday.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden,
at 77, is at higher risk for serious complications from the coronavirus, and the campaign has implemented rigorous testing and precautionary procedures. Those were amplified after President Trump reported a little over 48 hours after the first presidential debate Sept. 29 that he had tested positive. Several people who work in the White House or were in proximity to the president also tested positive.
The White House has been uncommunicative about what kind of contact tracing it has done. The Biden campaign said it would conduct contact tracing for Allen and the crew member.