Joe Biden calls for second debate to be cancelled if Donald Trump still has Covid

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden

Credit: Reuters

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Tuesday that next week’s scheduled debate with Republican President Donald Trump should not take place if Trump is still infected with Covid-19.

Mr Biden said the Oct. 15 debate in Miami should only be staged under strict health guidelines and called the coronavirus outbreak that has hit Mr Trump and a wave of other White House officials "a very serious problem".

"If he still has Covid, we shouldn’t have a debate," Mr Biden told reporters after a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.

"I’m not sure what President Trump is all about now. I don’t know what his status is. I’m looking forward to being able to debate him, but I just hope all the protocols are followed," Mr Biden said.

Asked about Mr Biden’s comments, Mr Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said: “President Trump will be healthy and will be there. There’s no getting out of this one for Biden, and his protectors in the media can’t cover for him.”

I am looking forward to the debate on the evening of Thursday, October 15th in Miami. It will be great!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020

After days of conflicting messages from doctors and aides about his condition, Mr Trump, 74, returned to the White House on Monday after three nights at a hospital. His doctor said on Tuesday that Mr Trump reported no Covid-19 symptoms and was doing "extremely well".

The normal quarantine period for anyone testing positive for the novel coronavirus is 14 days. Mr Trump announced his positive test on Friday.

But the disease continues to spread among Mr Trump’s top aides, with White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller saying he tested positive on Tuesday.

"Too many people have been infected. It’s a very serious problem, so I will be guided by the guidelines of the Cleveland Clinic and what the docs say is the right thing to do," Mr Biden said of his debate participation.

The former vice president, 77, tested negative again for Covid-19 on Tuesday, a week after sharing a debate stage with Mr Trump in Cleveland.

Vice President Mike Pence and Mr Biden’s running mate, US Senator Kamala Harris, will hold their scheduled debate on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was safe for Mr Pence to take part in the debate because he was not in close contact with anyone with Covid-19, including Mr Trump.