Regarding treatment for Covid-19, the president said he planned to distribute “whatever the hell they gave me” to hospitals in the United States
Donald Trump claimed to feel “so powerful” and “immune” to Covid-19 in his first public rally since he was released from hospital after a positive diagnosis of the virus.
Speaking to large crowds gathered in Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida, Trump said: “One thing with me, the nice part. I went through it, now they say I’m immune, I can feel… I feel so powerful, I’ll walk into that audience. I’ll walk in there, I’ll kiss everyone in that audience.
“I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women, everyone, I’ll give you a big fat kiss.”
“It does give you a good feeling when you can beat something and now they say you’re immune,” Trump added.
“I don’t know for how long, some people say for life, some people say for four months. I mean every time I think about it every time I hear they would get shorter and shorter and shorter cause they want it to be as bad as possible.”
Trump claims he's now "immune" to the coronavirus, feeling "powerful" and willing to "kiss everyone" in the audience. "I'll kiss the guys and the beautiful women," he said. https://t.co/0brz0Rl8UQ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 12, 2020
On Monday, ahead of the rally, White House physician Sean Conley issued a memo to say that the president had tested negative for Covid-19 “on consecutive days” and was “not infectious to others”.
As for Trump’s claim of immunity, it had already been flagged by Twitter as “spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to Covid-19” on Sunday after he posted: “A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can’t get it (immune), and can’t give it. Very nice to know!!!”
A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can’t get it (immune), and can’t give it. Very nice to know!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2020
In August, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US (CDC) explicitly stated there is no evidence to suggest a person is immune to reinfection if they have already been infected and cautioned against people assuming immunity.
Approximately 7,000 people, many of whom were not wearing masks, attended the rally in Florida, with little evidence of social distancing amongst the audience.
The state has been hit with over 736,000 cases of Covid-19, causing over 15,400 deaths.
With just three weeks to go to the election, Trump claimed that the crowds present at the rally were an indicator of the level of support for him compared to his rival, Joe Biden, who has been holding events with more stringent public health measures in place.
“These are the real polls, right? The other guy gets out there and they work and work and work and 30 people show up,” he said.
“And if you vote for me, prosperity will surge, normal life that’s what we want, we want a normal life,” Trump added.
“Biden would terminate the recovery, delay the vaccine, prolong the pandemic and annihilate Florida’s economy with a draconian, unscientific lockdown.”
