Trump to be hospitalized at Walter Reed medical center after Covid-19 diagnosis
cnn.comI don't think this story will survive the front page without turning into a big ugly mess, but it's definitely odd to see his Twitter account so quiet.
Apparently he was given an experimental antibody treatment earlier today? Anyone have any more info on that?
EDIT (transcription of official release):
I release the following information with the permission of President Donald J. Trump.
Following PCR-confirmation of the President's diagnosis, as a precautionary measure he received a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron's polyclonal antibody cocktail. He completed the infusion without incident. In addition to the polyclonal antibodies, the President has been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin.
As of this afternoon the President remains fatigued but in good spirits. He's being evaluated by a team of experts, and together we'll be making recommendations to the President and First Lady in regards to the next best steps.
First Lady Melania Trump remains well with only a mild cough and headache, and the remainder of the First Family are well and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 today.
The company that makes it said they won't say exactly what it is for patient privacy, but that it is currently in phase 3 clinical trials. They can legally give it to him under a compassion program.
It's been pointed out that one of the requirements of the compassion program is that the patient be gravely ill and the drug is their only remaining option.
> It's been pointed out that one of the requirements of the compassion program is that the patient be gravely ill and the drug is their only remaining option.
<speculation>
I do honestly wonder if that applies at his level. Could one of his doctors just requisition it? Would a company want to experiment on the president if it wasn't life or death?
</speculation>
I guess we'll know within a couple of days one way or the other.
I agree that the company would probably be happy to risk getting in trouble if it means they can say they saved the President. Besides, it would be his FDA that would have to pursue it.
> Besides, it would be his FDA that would have to pursue it.
That's not necessarily true, given that it is so close to a presidential election.
Yeah, that stood out to me: that this is not the “production” branch, and the circumstances under which it would be administered sounded distinctly ominous.
(Although this, of course, is Donald Trump; pretty easy for me to imagine that he just demanded it and it happened, regardless of whether or not it was warranted or fully considered.)
> Apparently he was given an experimental antibody treatment earlier today? Anyone have any more info on that?
According to my local newspaper it is REGN-COV2: https://www.regeneron.com/covid19 . It appears to be a synthetic replication ment to mimic antibodies from humans covid survivors.
This was hot off the recent information that it can cut duration of symptoms in half in people that have not yet mounted an effective immune response.
I wrote deleted my impulsive hot take comment here, it was cathartic enough to write it and not send.
My ICU physicians friends are in unanimous agreement that for most patients with advanced symptoms, staying at home with supplemental oxygen and observation is best. This is a sign that more serious and invasive procedures are required.
Not necessarily. It might be out of precaution to make sure prompt action is required if needed.
Trump is in multiple risk groups: his age, his weight, plus a high stress lifestyle. Implications of him dying weeks before the election are kind of scary.
I'm curious: If Trump did die before the election, how does that affect his presence on the ticket? Would Mike Pence suddenly become the Presidential candidate, or does the ticket remain unchanged with Pence being sworn in when a dead Trump wins, or are the Republicans no longer allowed to run the pair on the ticket? Is the decision state-by-state or federal?