The Biden campaign opposed original plans to position the candidates 7 feet apart, arguing that the two would not be spaced far enough apart to abide by medical guidelines. In light of Trump‘s diagnosis, the commission on Friday decided to move the chairs from 7 feet to 12 feet apart.
While social-distancing guidelines call for at least 6 six feet of space between individuals to avoid exposure to coronavirus, the Biden campaign argued that medical professionals recommend a greater distance of separation for individuals spending longer periods of time next to one another indoors. Pence and Harris are scheduled to face off Wednesday night for a 90-minute debate in Salt Lake City.
Harris, who went to Nevada on Friday, will travel to Utah and remain there until the debate, a Harris campaign official said Friday.
Biden campaign officials raised the candidate positioning as a “very serious concern,” according to the source, who said the campaign also cited unease over the lack of mask-wearing enforcement during the presidential debate in Cleveland. The source said the commission and the Trump campaign had supported the 7-foot spacing.
