in

Trump Contracts Covid-19

Through a shocking announcement on Friday morning, President Donald Trump revealed that he and First Lady Melania Trump both contracted Covid-19. 

“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!” Trump said in a tweet. 

Trump at the debate | Photo Courtesy by US News

Trump’s diagnosis follows months of dismissing Covid-19 safety guidelines, such as social distancing and wearing a mask. His dismissal showed during the first presidential debate, in which Trump taunted former Vice President Joe Biden for abiding by the CDC’s safety recommendations. Biden, however, announced that he tested negative despite spending 90 minutes with Trump throughout Tuesday’s debate. He further announced well wishes for POTUS and FLOTUS on Twitter.

Additionally, Trump’s contraction of the disease is especially concerning due to personal circumstances.  According to CNN, Trump’s age and medically obese weight – 74 years and 244 pounds – lands him in the high-risk category for fatal Covid-19 consequences. Contrary to this, a physical exam from June shows that the president seems to be in good health.

Hope Hicks | Photo Courtesy by NBC News

Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis came after multiple White House aides, including Hope Hicks, contracted the virus. Hicks, who is counselor to the president, tested positive on Wednesday and displayed symptoms by Thursday. Hicks was spotted interacting with fellow White House senior staff members around the time of her diagnosis – with none of the staff wearing masks – and accompanied the president during flights to Minnesota and Maryland. Despite knowing of Hicks’ Covid-19 contraction, Trump continued campaigning in New Jersey on Thursday according to USA Today. Additionally, on Sept. 26, Trump hosted guests in the Rose Garden to publicly nominate Amy Barrett as a Supreme Court judge. The significantly large crowd failed to follow social distancing and mask-wearing practices, with at least eight attendees contracting Covid-19 after the event took place. 

The Rose Garden gathering | Photo Courtesy of ABC News

Trump’s current status appears slightly confusing. Many of the president’s sources, such as Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, are providing conflicting stories on his health. Although Trump claims to be in good shape, Meadows called the president’s vitals ‘very concerning’ on Saturday – but later claimed Trump was doing well during a Fox interview. The future of Trump’s treatment and recovery depends on this upcoming week, The New York Times stated. As long as the president develops minimal symptoms, treatment will remain minimal as well. Trump has been released from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and will continue recovering at the White House.

Written by Prisha Puntambekar

Senior Prisha Puntambekar is Editor-in-Chief of the MCSun and has been part of journalism since her freshman year. Outside of journalism, she is busy blasting Tyler, the Creator or Taylor Swift on her record player.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *