Topline
Former Vice President Joe Biden wore an N95 mask as he traveled to Michigan on Friday, a more protective type than he typically wears in public, amid fears that he may have been exposed to Covid-19 by President Donald Trump at the presidential debate Tuesday night.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden before traveling to Grand Rapids, Michigan, at New Castle ... [+]
Key Facts
Biden appeared to be wearing an N95 mask without an exhalation valve while traveling to Grand Rapids, Michigan, before switching to a surgical mask while delivering remarks there; in his public appearances since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., he generally has worn a cloth or surgical mask.
In his speech, Biden emphasized the importance of “wearing a mask in public and encouraging others to do so as well,” saying that wearing a mask is “patriotic” and emphasizing statistics about their efficacy.
Biden and his wife, Jill, tested negative for Covid-19 Friday morning, as did his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, and Biden continued with his plan to travel to Grand Rapids, although he did cancel a planned voter mobilization event and virtual fundraiser.
Health experts told Forbes Friday that the period of incubation means that it is still possible Biden could test positive for Covid-19 in the coming days if he contracted the virus Tuesday.
A recent study published in Science Advances by Duke University researchers found that fitted N95 masks that don’t have a valve are the most effective in preventing Covid-19 transmission, and Dr. Martin Fischer, one of the authors of the study, said in an email to Forbes that while it’s “impossible” to say exactly how effective Biden’s mask is in preventing potential transmission without knowing the exact brand and fit, “I think that taking this extra precaution is commendable.”
Dr. John Lynch, the associate medical director at Harborview Medical Center and an Infectious Diseases Society of America board member, told Forbes that he doesn’t see “adding an N95 as being particularly helpful” for Biden, however, noting while fitted N95 masks are effective in preventing the mask wearer from contracting Covid-19, if Biden had been infected with Covid-19 by Trump, a surgical mask is likely going to be “more effective” at preventing Biden from transmitting it to others.
Crucial Quote
Lynch told Forbes that Biden doing a “working quarantine” by continuing in-person campaigning with personal protective equipment and social distancing is a “reasonable solution” for the candidate, despite his potential exposure to Covid-19. “Candidates running for the presidency of the United States, it’s important that we hear what’s going on with them, in terms of their messages,” Lynch said. “So it’s balancing that national need with, I think, reasonably effective tools” like PPE, regular testing and social distancing.
Tangent
Biden’s decision to wear a more protective mask Friday stood in stark contrast to the White House, as multiple aides including Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and advisor Larry Kudlow either declined or had to be asked to wear masks when speaking with reporters Friday, despite their potential exposure to Covid-19. “I've obviously been tested,” Meadows said when asked why he wasn’t wearing a mask. "We're hopefully more than six feet away...we have protocols in place.”
Key Background
Trump, who revealed early Friday morning that he had tested positive for Covid-19, has frequently mocked Biden on the campaign trail for wearing a mask. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask,” Trump said about Biden at the debate Tuesday. “He could be speaking 200 feet away from it. And he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.” Trump has regularly refused to wear a mask throughout the pandemic, with the exception of a few public appearances, and did not wear one during a fundraiser held in New Jersey Thursday afternoon after the White House became aware that advisor Hope Hicks had tested positive for Covid-19.
Further Reading
Biden Tests Negative For Virus, Continues In-Person Campaigning Following Trump Positive Test (Forbes)
Biden Wishes Trump A ‘Swift Recovery’ After Opponent Tests Positive For Covid-19 (Forbes)
Trump Positive Covid Test Upends Key Reelection Arguments Shortly Before Election (Forbes)
