President Trump will be discharged from the hospital Monday and receive around-the-clock care at the White House as he continues his fight against the coronavirus, his doctors said.
Mr. Trump announced the news himself, tweeting he planned to be home by 6:30 p.m.: “Feeling really good!”
Dr. Sean P. Conley said it has been 72 hours since the president’s last fever and he meets all criteria for discharge.
Mr. Trump’s breathing and oxygen are at normal levels, he said, although the president is “not out of the woods yet.”
“The president has continued to improve,” Dr. Conley said. “He’s returning to a facility — the White House Medical Unit — that’s staffed 24-7, top-notch.”
Dr. Conley described the president as a “phenomenal patient” who was “holding court” with doctors on what’s safe and reasonable moving forward.
Mr. Trump has been a patient at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for three days. He was admitted late Friday, less than 24 hours after testing positive for COVID-19 alongside first lady Melania Trump.
The president’s oxygen levels dropped on Friday and Saturday, prompting doctors to administer supplemental oxygen. They also gave Mr. Trump a steroid, dexamethasone, alongside an “antibody cocktail” from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and an anti-viral, remdesivir.
Doctors said he successfully took another dose of remdesivir on Monday.
“We’re in a bit of unchartered territory when it comes to a patient who’s received the therapies he has so early in the course,” Dr. Conley said.
Dr. Conley said they are working with infectious disease experts to make sure his office space in the White House is safe.
“As far as travel goes, we’ll see,” the doctor said, referring to Mr. Trump’s possible return to the campaign trail.
For his part, Mr. Trump on Monday told Americans not to be afraid of COVID-19.
“Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!” he tweeted.
The U.S. has made progress in developing therapies that combat the virus, slashing its case-fatality rate.
However, unlike most patients, the president had round-the-clock care from a team of doctors and quick access to an investigational drug from Regeneron.
Nearly 210,000 people have died in the U.S. from the new coronavirus, which continues to circulate at high levels, especially in the Midwest.
Mr. Trump also pushed back against criticism for his decision to ride in a vehicle outside on Sunday to thank supporters who kept vigil outside the hospital.
Pundits and an attending physician at Walter Reed said the ride put Secret Service agents in jeopardy of contracting the virus from the president.
“It is reported that the Media is upset because I got into a secure vehicle to say thank you to the many fans and supporters who were standing outside of the hospital for many hours, and even days, to pay their respect to their President. If I didn’t do it, Media would say RUDE!!!” Mr. Trump tweeted.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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