Joe Biden Says He Would Require Mask-Wearing For Any Business That Wants To Reopen: Makes ‘A Gigantic Difference’

Former Vice President and current Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden told a local interviewer that if elected, he will use executive authority to mandate that masks be worn into any business that wants to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.

The ex-veep did a pair of local interviews during his stop in Pennsylvania Thursday, where he also delivered remarks about health care and called President Donald Trump a “child.”

And while Trump continues to refuse to wear masks in public, Biden spoke to Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA’s Ken Rice from an 8-foot social distance while wearing a black mask.

Rice referenced the current surge in coronavirus infections, and asked Biden “If you became president tomorrow, what would you do differently regarding the pandemic, and getting these surging cases now under control?”

“I would go back to making sure that everybody had masks, that you had PPE lined up, making sure we stockpile all the things that we need and we don’t have now,” Biden said. “The one thing we do know, these masks make a gigantic difference. I would insist that everybody in public be wearing that mask. Anyone to reopen, would have to make sure that they walked into a business that had masks.”

“Couldn’t you use your federal leverage to mandate that?” Rice asked, to which Biden replied “Yes.”

“Would you?” Rice asked.

“Yes, I would from an executive standpoint, yes I would,” Biden said.

“So you would, in effect, mandate the wearing of masks?” Rice confirmed.

“I would do everything possible to make it required the people had to wear masks in public,” Biden answered.

Biden also said that he would “probably” be accepting his nomination virtually, and that he doesn’t plan to do any large indoor rallies as long as the pandemic continues.

In another local interview with WGAL’s Janelle Stelson Thursday, Biden also attacked Trump over his handling of the coronavirus.

“The president is bizarre,” Biden said. “We left behind a pandemic office. As early as January, middle of January, I was saying, a pandemic is coming. We should be prepared. Why don’t you use the legislation, the act that’s available — the Defense Production Act — to make companies move and build the things they need to build. Provide the protective gear. Build hospitals. What did he do? He waited and waited.”

Watch Biden’s remarks about masks above via KDKA.

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