Coronavirus in the White House
Along with many of the other important topics discussed in the first Presidential debate of 2020, was Coronavirus and the protocols taken by the incumbant, President Donald Trump. More specifically, Joe Biden and Donald Trump disputed the extent to which masks help and the extent to which they are needed. Biden argued that masks should be worn in any situation because “masks make a big difference” and “if everybody wore a mask and social distance between now and January, we’d probably save up to 100,000 lives. It matters.” While Trump did not disagree that one should wear a mask, he claimed “I think masks are okay,” and that rather than wearing masks all the time, one should only wear a mask “when needed,” although he did not clearly state the guidelines of when a mask is “needed” and when it is not. One of the many places Trump does not believe a mask is needed is at his “large rallies with crowds packed together, thousands of people.” While the CDC has advised numerous times not to have gatherings over ten people, Trump has held events with thousands. This portion of the debate came to a close and the candidates continued their unproductive and childish altercation. Just 53 hours following the end of the Presidential debate, on October 2nd, Trump revealed on Twitter that both he and the First Lady, Melania Trump, “tested positive for COVID-19.”
October 2nd: Trump made his first public appearance following the news and was seen boarding his helicopter, on the way to Walter Reed hospital. Soon after his arrival, he posted an 18 second video assuring all of America he is doing “very well.”
October 3rd: Trump reported he was “starting to feel good” and his doctor confirmed that while he was “fever free,” he “is not yet out of the woods.” Supposedly, his symptoms only included a mild cough, congestion issues, and slight fatigue.
October 4th: Trump momentarily left Walter Reed to see his supporters cheering outside the hospital from the back seat of a BMW. Dr. Conley held a briefing in regards to Trump's state and avoided many questions, later reporting he did not mention a drop in Trump’s oxygen levels to “reflect the upbeat attitude” of the White House staff in regards to Trump’s diagnosis.
October 5th: Trump arrived back at the White House after spending a quick 3 nights at Walter Reed. White House physician, Dr. Sean Conley, stated following his return that although “he may not be entirely out of the woods yet” he will have a “safe return home.” Dr. Conley also confirmed President Trump’s oxygen levels are back to normal. After his arrival home, Trump tweeted saying he was “feeling really good.” Trump also published an extremely controversial tweet: ‘Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life,” he said. “We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”
October 6th: The President was found isolating himself from within the White House where temporary office facilities had been placed next to the medical center. Trump continued to get vital sign checks.
October 7th: Trump returned to work in the Oval Office. Dr. Conley reported Trump was 24 hours symptom free yet refused to show evidence such as a negative COVID-19 test or proof his medications are not just covering the symptoms. Trump released a video Wednesday evening detailing his healthy state of being and the experimental “antibody cocktail” he received, which few other Americans have had access to thus far.
While Trump's contraction of the virus has been the focal point of the news recently, an absurd number of White House employees have also been diagnosed with COVID-19. The virus has been spread to at least 12 White House employees, including Nicholas Luna, Trump's assistant; Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary; and Bill Steipin, Trump's campaign manager. The spreading of the virus has been linked to events held by the President in the days leading up to his diagnosis.
While Trump's speedy recovery was shocking to many, his success is directly linked with the experimental drugs and antibody cocktail developed by drugmaker Regenerom that he received while at Walter Reed. Trump is one of the first Americans, aside from clinical trial participants, to receive this combination of drugs which are meant to resolve symptoms in an accelerated time period. According to Trump's doctor, the medicines have been very effective and Trump's symptoms lessened significantly in just days. Although this drug combination may be the resolution to the deaths caused by Coronavirus in the United States, as of now at least, it is inaccessible to most. His treatments were also “tested in cells derived from fetal tissue,” a practice Trump has been vocal in denouncing.
As soon as Trump revealed his positive Coronavirus test, much of the media immediately wondered how Trump's views of the Coronavirus may be altered having had it himself. There were two options; either Trump would take this as an opportunity to re-formulate his response to the virus and encourage the American people to be more aware of the virus and remain cautious, or Trump could use his fast recovery as a way to yet again downplay the virus. Sadly, Trump took the second route and published on Twitter as he was departing from the hospital that he encourages Americans not to “let [the virus] dominate [their lives]” and to not “be afraid of it.” This comment immediately received thousands of angry responses from those who frowned upon Trump’s disregard of the millions who have been infected and the 210,000 American lives lost to the Coronavirus. The medicines and treatment Trump received are far from ready or accessible to the average American. While Trump's recovery is uplifting to Americans who have watched our country fall into shambles as our leader contracted a deadly virus, his recovery is an inaccurate representation of how COVID will affect most of us, especially those in high risk categories such as Donald Trump.