Mike Pence and Kamala Harris should not be debating in person Wednesday night

Slate

Plexiglass and 13 feet of distance isn't enough to ensure that the coronavirus isn't spread at Wednesday's vice presidential debate at the University of Utah, says Shannon Palus. "Safetywise, yes, Pence has tested negative a few times for the virus," says Palus. "But negative tests, especially soon after exposure, are not a guarantee that you don’t have it. That’s why Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines say that close contacts of those infected with COVID should stay home for 14 days regardless of whether they’ve tested negative. And it’s not just Trump whom Pence may have been in close contact with. Pence attended Amy Coney Barret’s nomination party on Sept. 26, a potential superspreader event. I suppose it’s technically possible he wasn’t in close contact with anyone who has now tested positive, as his doctor is saying—but, as new information about who is infected comes out by the hour, how would they be sure at this point? Counting out 14 days from that event, he should stay home until Saturday, at least. And if you are quarantining, you’re not allowed to be even 12 feet away from another human being. You definitely shouldn’t be together indoors. Pence really doesn’t seem like a good person to make an exception for on the quarantine rule. The Trump campaign already botched best practices at the last debate."

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• If the presidential debates were any other network TV show, it would be a scandal that they were being held in person at all
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