Biden: I think if Trump still has COVID, "we shouldn't have a debate"

Joe Biden said Tuesday when asked about facing President Trump in the second presidential debate on Oct. 15, "I think if he still has COVID, we shouldn’t have a debate."

Why it matters: Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus last week. Though he was discharged from Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday evening and his physician said he's not experiencing symptoms, a person can be contagious up to 10 days after the symptoms resolve, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What they're saying: "I think if he still has COVID, we shouldn’t have a debate," Biden said. "I think we are gonna have to follow very strict guidelines.

• "Too many people have been infected. It's a very serious problem, so I will be guided by the guidelines of the Cleveland Clinic and what the docs say is the right thing to do."

The other side: "President Trump will be healthy and will be there," said Tim Murtaugh, director of the president's campaign. "There's no getting out of this one for Biden and his protectors in the media can’t cover for him."

The big picture: President Trump was not experiencing coronavirus symptoms and is doing "extremely well," according to a memo released by White House physician Sean Conley on Tuesday.

• However, Conley said in a briefing on Monday that while the president's condition is improving, he "may not be entirely out of the woods yet" and the next few days will be critical to the course of his recovery.