Sanders, Biden, cancel campaign events over Coronavirus

With the Governor of Ohio pressuring sports leagues and other groups to scrap large public gatherings because of the Coronavirus threat, the campaigns of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders both canceled scheduled events Tuesday night in Cleveland, Ohio, raising questions about large campaign rallies in the near term for the 2020 race for President.

"We are heeding the public warnings from Ohio state officials, who have communicated concern about holding large, indoor events during the coronavirus outbreak," said Sanders Communications Director Mike Casca.

"In accordance with guidance from public officials and out of an abundance of caution, our rally in Cleveland, Ohio tonight is cancelled," said Deputy Biden Campaign Manger Kate Bedingfield.

The moves came after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged professional and college sports teams to not allow fans to attend their games, trying to stem the spread of the respiratory illness.

"Through the limiting of large events, our goal is to dramatically slow down the spread of COVID19 and save lives," DeWine said on Tuesday. "Now is the time to take action."

The truth is that #COVID19 is dangerous. We can't ignore it. We can't wish it away. We have to call it as it is.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) March 10, 2020

The @JoeBiden campaign is now joining the @BernieSanders campaign in canceling their respective rallies tonight in Ohio. The rally last night in Detroit, with Biden staffers dispensing hand sanitizer, sure had the feeling of the last rally for awhile. That could well be true.
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) March 10, 2020

Everyone at the Biden event getting a dose of hand sanitizer as they enter the gym for his rally in Detroit pic.twitter.com/SOPKwPKUl8
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 9, 2020

On Monday night, the Biden campaign had given hand sanitizer to everyone who came to a Detroit high school for a campaign rally.

The Sanders campaign had taken no precautions until this cancellation.

A presidential forum involving Biden and Sanders which had been scheduled for Thursday in Orlando was canceled last week by the AFL-CIO, because of Coronavirus fears.

While the next debate - only involving Sanders and Biden - will go on this coming Sunday night, Democratic Party officials announced on Tuesday that no audience would be allowed in the venue.