Just over a week after Donald Trump and Joe Biden's combative presidential debate, their running mates and prospective Vice Presidents took to the stage on 7 October for their own head-to-head.

A lot had happened between last night’s debate in Salt Lake city and the one in Cleveland at the end of September, most notably Donald Trump’s contraction of - and alleged speedy recovery from - Covid-19.

Politically engaged spectators were hoping that the discourse between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence would be much more subdued than that of the first debate, which was labelled a "depressing spectacle" by the Wall Street Journal.

Donald Trump vs Joe Biden: highlights of the US presidential debate 2020 - and k...

Somewhat ironically, the vice presidential debate appeared much more “presidential”, and the two sparred on a variety of issues like coronavirus, the economy and health care, with relatively little interruption.

Here are some of the most important quotes and key moments.

On coronavirus

Coronavirus and the ongoing chaos it is causing remains a contentious issue, particularly since the President himself became infected with Covid-19 last week.

Harris was asked just what the Biden campaign would do differently if it were in charge of the response. She replied by arguing that Trump and his team “covered up” the crisis.

“They knew what was happening and they didn’t tell you,” she said.

“The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country.

“How calm were you when you were wondering where you were going to get your next roll of toilet paper? How calm were you when your kids were sent home from school? How calm were you when your children couldn't see your parents for fear of killing them? You respect the American people when you tell them the truth.”

Pence counteracted by defending the Trump administration’s record on the virus, saying, “President Trump and I trust the American people to make the best choices for themselves about their health.

“Our nation’s gone through a very challenging time this year, but I want the American people to know that from the very first day, President Trump has put the health of the American people first.”

On a vaccine

In response to recent claims from Trump that he would make the so-called Covid-19 “cure” he had received in hospital (an experimental and unproven cocktail of drugs) available to the public, Harris said his administration could not be trusted as an authority on vaccines.

“If the doctors tell us that we should take it, I'll be the first in line to take it,” she said.

“But if Donald Trump tells us that we should take it, I'm not taking it.”

Mr Pence asked Harris to “stop playing politics with people’s lives,” saying, “The fact that you continue to undermine public confidence in a vaccine, if a vaccine emerges during the Trump administration, I think is unconscionable.”

On health care

Health care continues to be a divisive issue in America, and Pence claimed the nation’s citizens remember the “disaster” of Obamacare “well.”

“President Trump and I have a plan to improve health care and to protect pre-existing conditions for every American," he said.

Harris issued an alarming warning in response, telling viewers that the Republicans are “coming for” those with pre-existing conditions.

“If you have a pre-existing condition - heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer - they’re coming for you. If you love someone who has a pre-existing condition, they’re coming for you. If you are under the age of 26 on your parents’ coverage, they’re coming for you,” she said.

On abortion

One of Pence's most telling question dodges came when he was pressed on whether he wanted to ban abortion in his home state of Indiana.

He failed to provide a straight answer, instead saying, “I couldn’t be more proud to serve as Vice President to a President who stands without apology for the sanctity of human life. I’m pro-life. I don’t apologise for it.”

Harris provided almost exactly the opposite view, saying, “I will always fight for a woman’s right to make a decision about her own body. It should be her decision and not that of Donald Trump and the Vice President, Michael Pence.”

On climate change

"The issue is, what's the cause and what do we do about it?” Said Pence, as he seemed to question man-made climate change.

“President Trump has made it clear that we're going to continue to listen to the science.”

Harris replied by saying, “Joe [Biden] believes in science.

“Joe understands that the West Coast of our country is burning. Joe sees what is happening in the Gulf States, which are being battered by storms. Joe believes in science.”

On race relations

September’s presidential debate was overshadowed by Donald Trump’s failure to condemn white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys.

“Proud Boys? Stand back and stand by", the President said, before insisting violence was caused by the left, stating, "Somebody's got to do something about Antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem."

It was expected that last night’s VP debate would feature talk of racial injustice heavily, but that wasn’t the case, as the issue seemed to be overshadowed by Covid-19.

Harris did stress that the family of Breonna Taylor, a 26 year old Black woman shot and killed by police in her home, “deserves justice”, saying, “She was a beautiful young woman. Her life was taken. Unjustifiably and tragically and violently.”

Pence, however, downplayed suggestions of institutionalised racism among the police force, and said that it was a “great insult” to police officers, while also condemning recent scenes of “rioting and looting” seen across America.

‘If you can’t get along, how can we?’

The final question of the evening came from an eighth grader, who said, “All I see are two candidates from opposing parties, trying to tear each other down. If our leaders can’t get along, how are the citizens supposed to get along?”

“Joe has a longstanding reputation of working across the aisle,” responded Harris.

“Joe Biden has a history of lifting people up and fighting for their dignity.”

Pence said that people shouldn’t “assume that what you’re seeing on your local news networks is synonymous with the American people.”

What happened with the fly?

You may have seen a lot of buzz circulating online about a third entrant in the debate, albeit not a human one.

A lot of attention was captured by an unruly fly, which landed on Pence’s head for approximately two minutes during the debate, and became an instant internet celebrity.

The phrase "the fly" has been tweeted and retweeted hundreds of thousands of times since its appearance, and the Biden campaign has been quick to take advantage.

It has registered the domain flywillvote.com, while a picture of the candidate holding a fly swatter has been liked over half a million times on Twitter.

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