Trump physician says the president is fever-free and no longer a transmission risk but is still being monitored.
“Now at day 10 from symptom onset, fever-free for well over 24 hours and all symptoms improved, the assortment of advanced diagnostic tests obtained reveal there is no longer evidence of actively replicating virus,” said Dr. Sean Conley in a memo. “Moving forward, I will continue to monitor him clinically as he returns to an active schedule.”
According to Conley, Trump has manifested “decreasing viral loads.” Viral load indicates how much virus is seen in any sample taken from a patient, whether it is blood or secretions gathered during a deep nasal swab.
Conley did not reveal whether the president had undergone a coronavirus test and had taken any particular treatment.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump showed up at his first public event at the White House since he was diagnosed with the coronavirus infection.
“It is disappearing,” Trump said of the coronavirus.
“I want you to know our nation is going to defeat this terrible China virus,” Trump stressed. “We’re producing powerful therapies and drugs and we’re healing the sick and we’re going to recover and the vaccine is coming out very, very quickly.”
Trump, who left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday, appears to be restarting his reelection campaign.
Trump posted a video on Twitter when he went back to the White House. “One thing’s for certain: Don’t let it dominate you,” he said.
“We have the best medical equipment, we have the best medicines, all developed recently,” said the president.
“I know there’s a risk, there’s a danger, but that’s OK,” he added. “And now I’m better, and maybe I’m immune, I don’t know.”
There will be a team of doctors who will continuously monitor Trump, who said he wanted to promptly resume his campaign.
“Will be back on the Campaign Trail soon!!! The Fake News only shows the Fake Polls,” he tweeted.
In a press briefing, Dr. Sean Conley, the White House physician, said that the president “may not entirely be out of the woods yet.”
Conley stressed that the medical team is “cautiously optimistic,” but “we’re in a bit of uncharted territory” in terms of Trump’s treatment.
“So we’re looking to this weekend. If we can get through to Monday with him remaining the same or improving, better yet, then we will all take that final deep sigh of relief,” the doctor noted.
However, Conley declined to address questions that require him to disclose details.
“There are HIPAA rules and regulations that restrict me in sharing certain things, for his safety and his own health and reasons,” he stressed.
However, Conley explained that Trump “has not been on any fever-reducing medications for over 72 hours.” Trump will take another dose of remdesivir before his departure, the White House physician noted.
Immunity to COVID-19
After he was cleared by his physician to resume public activities, President Trump wrote in a tweet that he has immunity to COVID-19, which prompted Twitter to add a warning label to his post.
On Sunday, Trump wrote: “A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can’t get it (immune), and can’t give it. Very nice to know!!!”
Additionally, in an interview on Fox News, he also claimed immunity and stated that he believes he will be immune for “maybe a long time, maybe a short time, could be a lifetime.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no evidence that people develop immunity to coronavirus if they have been infected once and the agency has specifically warned people not to assume they are immune.
