Campaign

Biden to deliver address on coronavirus on Thursday

by Julia Manchester - 03/10/20 8:22 PM ET

Former Vice President Joe Biden will deliver an address on responding to COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus, on Thursday in Wilmington, Del.

Biden’s campaign said the remarks will be delivered at 1 p.m. instead of a previously scheduled event in Tampa, Fla.

The announcement comes hours after Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) both canceled campaign events in Cleveland on Tuesday, amid concerns over the coronavirus.

“In accordance with guidance from public officials and out of an abundance of caution, our rally in Cleveland, Ohio tonight is canceled,” Biden’s deputy campaign manager and communications manager Kate Bedingfield said in a tweet. “We will continue to consult with public health officials and public health guidance and make announcements about future events.”

The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. neared 1,000 on Tuesday, according to CNN, and medical experts predict the virus will continue to spread.

Medical experts have also warned individuals to avoid large gatherings, which are typical of a campaign rally.

Biden hit President Trump, who has accused Democrats of using the outbreak to hurt him politically, over his response to the virus.

“I wish he would just be quiet. I really mean it,” Biden told NBC News on Monday. “Just let the experts speak. And acknowledge whatever they suggest to him is what we should be doing.”

The former vice president has also touted his leadership experience, specifically during the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

“In September 2014, CDC projections warned that over 1 million people could be infected if we failed to act,” Biden wrote in a USA Today op-ed earlier this month.

“By February 2015, thanks to the leadership of our administration, the number of new Ebola cases was fewer than 400. A few months later, the epidemic was essentially extinguished,” he added.

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