President Trump, for the first time, acknowledged that he was “very sick” last week after being admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following his COVID-19 diagnosis.
“I went into the hospital a week ago. I was very sick,” the president said in a video he posted to his Twitter.
This is the first time President Trump spoke about the severity of his condition since he tested positive for the coronavirus last week. He posted another video saying he “wasn’t feeling so hot.”
Trump emphasized in the new video that while receiving treatment in the hospital, “I took this medicine and it was incredible.”
The president told FOX Business News’ Maria Bartiromo during an interview that the experimental antibody-based treatment made by pharmaceutical company Regeneron had him feeling better within 24 hours. He said, “I felt perfect. I feel perfect now. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to speak to you.”
In the video, President Trump wanted to make it clear that “we’re taking care of our seniors” and stressed that “I want you to get the same care that I got. I got incredible care at Walter Reed.”
Trump made a promise to seniors saying, “You’re going to get the same medicine, you’re going to get it free. No charge. And we’re going to get it to you soon.”
“It’s totally safe but it’s powerful against the disease,” he added. “And we’re going to get it out to you. We’re going to take care of our seniors. All free.”
Adults aged 65 years or older have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 210,000 American lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly warns that “among adults, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk.”
