On Oct. 1, President Donald Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19. Before his release, he was held at Walter Reed National Medical Center.
Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley quoted that Trump displayed “clinical indications” of COVID-19 before he was publicly diagnosed. Conley also stated that Trump’s symptoms, “mild cough, nasal congestion and fatigue, are now resolving and improving.”
Vincent Davis, Sacred Heart University graduate student, explained how it is difficult to see someone suffering from the virus.
“I feel for Trump and his family. Politics aside, it’s a terrible thing to get a virus of this degree, no matter your political views,” said Davis.
Twenty-four hours after being diagnosed, the President was doing well according to his doctors at Walter Reed. One of Trump’s doctors, Sean Dooley, stated Trump’s liver, heart and kidney functions were normal and that he was not experiencing any trouble with his lungs anymore.
“He is in exceptionally good spirits,” was how Dooley noted Trump’s condition.
In one of Trump’s personal statements while still in the hospital, he said, “I had to be out front…I can’t be locked up in a room upstairs and totally safe…As a leader, you have to confront problems.”
The Trump administration had held fundraisers before the diagnosis. A woman was able to attend Trump’s Minnesota fundraiser along with 40 other guests.
She stated the fundraiser was “very safely done” and all of the guests were tested beforehand. These tests only took about 20 minutes, she noted. Everyone was following the distance guidelines and Trump did not get close to any guests.
On Sept. 26, an event to select the Supreme Court Nominee was held. There were over 150 people interacting without wearing masks.
Among those who attended and have now tested positive are former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, the president of the University of Notre Dame, and at least two Republican lawmakers — Utah Senator Mike Lee and North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis. The president’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, and the head of the Republican National Committee, Ronna McDaniel, have also tested positive, though they were not at the event. Another prominent Republican who has tested positive is Senator Ron Johnson.
“The president contracting COVID-19 demonstrates that no one is safe, yet at the same time it also demonstrates what happens when people do not wear masks and downplay the severity of the virus, as the president has been doing,” said Dr. Gary Rose, Chair of Student Government at Sacred Heart University.
A source inside the White House quotes, “The White House has given no indication that it intends to make any major protocol changes, such as mandating that everyone wears a mask.”
When asked about these protocols, Sacred Heart graduate David Gauteri stated, “If we do not follow guidelines in places especially like the White House, it will reinforce a non-strict attitude towards wearing a mask.”
When Trump was hospitalized, “Operation MAGA” was put together. This was a plan to keep campaigning so that Trump would not lose momentum.
“The operation entails ‘a full marshalling of top-level surrogates, campaign coalitions and Trump supporters’ to carry the campaign until Trump can return to the trail,” according to a campaign statement.
President Trump’s family and Vice President Mike Pence have had key roles in this plan.
Previous to last Wednesday’s debate between Vice President Pence and Kamala Harris, there were online events instead of in person.
“The President is in big political trouble heading down the home stretch of the campaign,” said Dr. Rose.
“I want to encourage you to stay in the fight,” was a direct quote from Pence.
On Oct. 5, President Trump was released from Walter Reed National Medical Center. Numerous sources, along with the president, state that he is recovering well.
