Between the White House spokesman and Walter Reed Medical Staff briefers, it’s difficult to determine 74-year-old President Donald Trump’s medical condition after testing positive for coronavirus AKA SARS CoV.2 or Covid-19 Thursday, Oct. 1. No one really knows when the president last tested negative for Covid-19, told by his White House physician, following up his care at Walter Reed Medical Center that the president tested positive with his wife Melania Thursday, Oct. 1. Today’s briefing at Walter Reed, Conley said while the president has responded well of Regneron’s polyclonal antibody infusion and Gilead Sciences new anti-viral drug Remdesivir, the truth is it’s too early to tell what will happen as a virus runs its court up to seven to 10 days post infection. Conley tried to reassure anxious reporters barking questions at him, largely over whether the president received oxygen.
National Security concerns wouldn’t permit Trump’s medical staff from disclosing if, like Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the president’s condition deteriorated, in Johnson’s case winding up in the Intensive Care Unit [ICU] on a ventilator. “The president’s vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care,” said unnamed source told White House pool reporters. “We are still not on a clear path to a full recovery,” meaning that it’s premature to speculate on what will happen when disease runs its course over the next 10 days. Trump’s White House doctor Sean Conley added to the confusion discussing the president’s condition. “At this time the team and I are extremely happy with the progress the president has made. Thursday he had a mild cough and some nasal congestion and fatigue. All of which are now resolving and improving,” Conely said.
With all Covid-19 infections, that vary from asymptomatic, mild to severe and death, it’s too early after 72-hours from initial infection to speculate on what twists-and-turns the infection takes. What’s known, if Conley’s truthfully reporting, is that Trump’s initial symptoms have diminished, including a slight fever, now reported in the normal range. “We are still not on a clear path to recovery,” said the unnamed source, reminding reporters that it’s way too early to know what will happen. “Just 72 hours into the diagnosis. The first week of Covid, and in particular day seven to 10, are the most critical in determining the likely course of this illness,” Conley said, confusing reporters. Most reporters have so little medical background that they have trouble following medical explanations, finding them confusing, incomplete and even misleading. There was nothing ambiguous about Conley’s statements.
By all accounts Trump caught Covid-19 from White House Communication Director Hope Hicks who traveled with the president on Air Force 1 and Marine 1 to campaign stops in Duluth Minnesota and Bedminster, N.J. on Wednesday. Reports indicated that Hicks showed signs of sickness on Wednesday when she traveled with the president. While Conley didn’t say whether he traveled with the president on Wednesday, it’s hard to imagine anyone would let Hicks travel or anywhere close to the Trump. Yet, it now looks like Trump was exposed by Hicks on Wednesday, Sept. 30. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) couldn’t restrain herself, essentially saying Trump’s reluctance to follow CDC guidelines wearing a mask did him in. It’s hard to say whether or not a mask would have made a difference in such close proximity on flights with infected Hicks and other staff members.
Walter Reed pulmonologists Dr. Sean Dooley was peppered with questions about whether or not the president received oxygen, trying to draw any inference about the severity and prognosis of his Covid-19 infection. “He’s in exceptionally good spirits and in fact as we were completing out multidisciplinary rounds this morning the quote he left us with was, ‘I feel like I could walk out of here today.’ And that was a very encouraging comment from the president,” Dooley said at Saturday morning’s briefing. With Covid-19 following a certain course of illness, it’s doubtful the president would be released until at least seven, possibly 10, days. Whatever treatment and however well Trump responded to treatment, Trump’s medical team won’t feel comfortable discharging the president until he tests negative for the virus and is no longer experiencing any Covid-19 symptoms.
Conley admitted that Trump received Regeneron’s 8-gram polyclonal antibody cocktail infusion at the White House together with Remdesivir’s starting dosage. Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody treatment is still experimental, not approved even for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration [FDA]. Receiving experimental treatment plus recently approved anti-viral Remdesivir led reporters to think Trump Covid-19 infection was far worse than reported by his medical team. When it leaked out that Trump received oxygen at the White House, it led to even more wild speculation, prompting reporters to question whether he was receiving oxygen treatment at Walter Reed. Dr. Brian Garibalidi said Trump would receive and five-day course of Remdesivir, and continue his duties at whatever level he’s comfortable. Only time will tell where Trump’s treatment goes from here.
