David Zuckerman, the Progressive-Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, tested positive for Covid-19 minutes before participating in an in-person debate in Rutland Wednesday night.
He took the stage after mutually consenting with debate organizers and his Republican opponent Joe Benning to proceed.
According to Zuckerman, his wife tested positive for the airborne virus Monday morning, at which point Zuckerman began to regularly test himself and wear a mask when in public. Both Zuckerman and his campaign spokesperson Lisa Gerlach said the campaign kept the debate organizers apprised of Zuckerman’s test results in the days leading up to the event. As recently as Wednesday morning, Zuckerman tested negative, he said.
Former Castleton University president Dave Wolk, who moderated the debate, and professor of political science Rich Clark, who organized the event, confirmed Zuckerman’s and Gerlach’s accounts. Clark said the campaign was “very upfront and honest.”
Zuckerman, who is experiencing mild symptoms, told VTDigger in a Thursday afternoon interview that he took one final test in the bathroom roughly 15 minutes before the debate. A faint line indicated a positive result, he said.
Zuckerman informed Wolk, Clark and Benning of the test result. With minutes to go before the debate was set to begin, no backup plan in place for remote participation and students already in the audience, they all agreed to proceed.
Benning told VTDigger in a Thursday evening phone call that he wishes Zuckerman tested before arriving at the venue. Had Benning known Zuckerman was positive with more notice, “I might have made a different decision,” he said.
“I think all of us were thrust into making an instant decision,” Benning said. “I wished he had tested before he got there so we could have had a more intelligent conversation about what to do or not.”
Zuckerman wore a KN95 mask for the duration of the debate and stood several feet away from his opponent and Wolk. Wolk informed the crowd of Zuckerman’s positive test result at the top of the debate, and the first several rows of seats were empty, according to those present.
Gerlach issued a press release announcing Zuckerman’s test result Thursday morning at 10 a.m. Asked why a statement hadn’t been made sooner after Zuckerman tested positive and appeared at the debate, Gerlach said “some folks” on the campaign “were just unsure of how it is important. If we’re staying away and out of the public, does it matter to tell people about private health matters?”
Gerlach said the campaign ultimately opted for “transparency.” Asked the same question about the timing of the press release, Zuckerman said he didn’t feel there was an urgent need to issue a statement Wednesday night.
According to the release, “Zuckerman will abstain from in-person events until he can safely participate based on health department guidance and medical advice.”
Guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Vermont Department of Health state that people who test positive for Covid should isolate for five days. They may then exit isolation if they are fever-free and their symptoms have been improving.
Asked if he was comfortable with how events unfolded at Wednesday’s debate, Wolk said he was “very comfortable.” Clark said he, too, felt comfortable, but said the event could have benefited from a backup plan for remote participation.
“You know, we didn’t anticipate this,” Clark said. “That might have been something that I wish, in retrospect, we had done.”
The debate was held at Rutland’s Paramount Theater. Clark said the event did not have mask, test or vaccine requirements.
According to his campaign, Zuckerman has received the Covid-19 vaccine and two booster shots.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Rich Clark’s job title.