It has been reported Ronald Klain is slated to be Joe Biden's chief of staff since Biden has been declared the winner by media organizations, though President Trump and his campaign are contesting the results in a handful of states due to voter fraud.
Klain has been chief of staff to former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Biden. Democrats, with Biden being no exception, hammered away at Trump for his handling of the COVID-19 global pandemic, saying he had not done enough in the early stages and even up to today.
Trump did implement travel restrictions from China in January as COVID-19 originated out of Wuhan, but later in February, Klain, along with other Democrats, publicly downplayed the danger the virus posed.
"We don’t have a #COVID?19 epidemic in the US but we are starting to see a fear epidemic," he tweeted on February 13.
We don’t have a #COVID?19 epidemic in the US but we are starting to see a fear epidemic. Kudos to @NYCMayor (and others) for standing against that. https://t.co/mULErCXKsH
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) February 13, 2020
On February 28, Klain urged his followers to "go to Chinatown -- buy a meal, go shopping."
On #COVID?19: If you want to do something useful today, go to Chinatown -- buy a meal, go shopping. The virus attacks humans, not people of any ethnicity/race. Fear is hurting Chinese-American owned businesses, baselessly. Let's fight the disease AND let's fight prejudice.
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) February 28, 2020
Other New York City officials, and even Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), encouraged people to go out into town because there was no need to be concerned with COVID-19. In March, everyone did 180 degree turn and shut down "non-essential" businesses to slow the spread of the new virus.