Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Says 'I Feel So Good,' Plans Public Rallies As Soon As This Weekend
President Donald Trump returned to form on Thursday morning, engaging in a freewheeling, 55-minute interview on Fox Business in which he made bold claims about his health and coronavirus in general just days after announcing he had contracted the deadly disease. The president, his voice steady but slightly raspy, even boasted that he was in shape to stage one of his marathon political rallies ā if he was allowed to hold one. ... Using a joking tone, he claimed he was a āperfect physical specimen, adding āIām lucky in that way.ā (Niedzwiadek, 10/8)
While Trump said he believes heās no longer contagious, concerns about infection appeared to scuttle plans for next weekās presidential debate. āIām feeling good. Really good. I think perfect,ā Trump said during a telephone interview with Fox Business, his first since he was released from a three-day hospital stay Monday. āI think Iām better to the point where Iād love to do a rally tonight,ā Trump said. He added, āI donāt think Iām contagious at all.ā (Miller, Colvin and Lemire, 10/9)
President Donald Trump said late Thursday that he hoped to resume in-person rallies this weekend, citing a note from his doctor that anticipated heād be fit to do so. Speaking with Fox Newsā Sean Hannity, Trump said his team would try to arrange a rally in Florida, depending on logistics. āI think I'm going to try doing a rally on Saturday night if we have enough time to put it together, but we want to do a rally probably in Florida on Saturday night,ā he said. āI might come back and do one in Pennsylvania the following night, and it's incredible what's going on. I feel so good." (Choi, 10/8)
White House physician Sean Conley said Thursday that President Trump would be able to make a āsafe returnā to public events on Saturday, less than two weeks after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.Ā Conley issued a memo Thursday evening stating that Trump had completed his therapy for COVID-19 and that he has responded āextremely wellā to treatment overall. The update came just three days after Trump returned to the White House from Walter ReedĀ National Military Medical Center, where he received treatment for 72 hours. (Chalfant, 10/8)
President Trumpās doctor said on Thursday that heās completed his treatments to alleviate the symptoms of the coronavirus and that he anticipates that the president will be able to resume āpublic engagementsā on Saturday. The forecast about Mr. Trumpās condition came from the White House physician, Dr. Sean Conley, in a note updating people on his health. Mr. Trump announced shortly before 1 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, that he and the first lady, Melania Trump, had tested positive for the virus; White House officials have declined to say when he last tested negative. (10/9)
Also ā
President Donald Trump said Thursday he doesnāt think heās contagious anymore, but medical experts say thatās impossible to know a week after his diagnosis with COVID-19. Most people with COVID-19 can stop isolating and be around others about 10 days after they first showed symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thatās provided their symptoms have improved, they have not had a fever for 24 hours and are no longer on any medication to reduce a high temperature. But thereās no way to know for certain that someone is no longer contagious so soon after falling ill, experts say. (Renault, 10/9)
KHN: Stigma Against D.O.s Had Been Dissipating Until Trumpās Doctor Took The SpotlightĀ
Dr. Katherine Pannel was initially thrilled to see President Donald Trumpās physician is a doctor of osteopathic medicine. A practicing D.O. herself, she loved seeing another glass ceiling broken for the type of doctor representing 11% of practicing physicians in the U.S. and now 1 in 4 medical students in the country. But then, as Dr. Sean Conley issued public updates on his treatment of Trumpās COVID-19, the questions and the insults about his qualifications rolled in. (Weber, 10/9)