Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he would shut down the country again if scientists recommend the measure to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Biden made the remarks to ABC’s David Muir during a joint ABC News interview Friday with running mate Kamala Harris.
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“If you’re sworn in come January and we have coronavirus and the flu combining — which many scientists have said is a real possibility — would you be prepared to shut this country down again?” Muir asked.
“I would be prepared to do whatever it takes to save lives, because we cannot get the country moving until we control the virus,” said Biden. “That is the fundamental flaw of this administration’s thinking to begin with. In order to keep the country running and moving and the economy growing and people employed, you have to fix the virus, you have to deal with the virus.”
“So if the scientists say ‘shut it down?'” asked Muir.
“I would shut it down,” Biden responded. “I would listen to the scientists.”
The former vice president has also called for a three-month national mask mandate, including outdoors, to fight the spread of coronavirus. (RELATED: Judge Napolitano: Governments ‘Do Not Have The Authority’ To Mandate Mask-Wearing)
“Every American should be wearing a mask when they’re outside for the next three months at a minimum,” he told reporters last week.