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President Trump on Monday evening, October 12, boasted that he is likely “completely immune” from coronavirus, as he recovers from the virus, for which he was hospitalized earlier in the month.
Further, Trump said he felt so strong that he would “kiss everyone in [the audience] of his Sandford, Florida, rally.
It was Trump’s first official rally since his October 1 positive test and ongoing recovery. Trump’s physician, Sean Conley, said on Monday that Trump had tested negative for the virus on “consecutive days” and was no longer at risk to transmit coronavirus, National Post reported.
Here’s what you need to know:
Trump Said Because He Is Now ‘Immune’ From Coronavirus, He Could Walk Into a Rally & ‘Kiss Everyone’ … ‘the Guys & All the Beautiful Women’
Trump, while attacking U.S. governors who still have stay-at-home or business closure orders in place to stem rising coronavirus deaths, claimed that his recovery from the disease has proven that he is “immune to it.”
“One thing with me, the nice part is I went through it,” Trump said. “Now they say I’m immune. I can feel it. I feel so powerful I’ll walk into that audience … I’ll walk in there and I’ll kiss everyone in that audience. I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women. I’ll give you a big, fat kiss.”
Trump, similarly, tweeted on Sunday that he was “immune” from the virus and Twitter responded by hiding the tweet behind a warning message that it contained misinformation on coronavirus.
“A total and complete sign-off from White House Doctors yesterday,” Trump said. “That means I can’t get it (immune), and can’t give it. Very nice to know!”
On August 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a warning that people should not assume they are immune after infection and recovery.
Although people can continue to test positive for three months after their diagnosis without being infectious, the CDC wrote, “Contrary to media reporting today, this science does not imply a person is immune to reinfection with SARS-CoV-2.”
The Rally Featured Zero Social Distancing & Few Masks, & Trump Praised Governor Ron DeSantis for Opening Most Businesses Fully
Numerous photos and video clips from the event showed Florida supporters tightly packed, with few masks to be seen, other than on some of the people directly behind Trump on the live video feed.
Trump praised Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis for opening restaurants and bars fully in his state, referencing a World Health Organization official’s recent interview in which he said large-scale lockdowns can have unintended consequences, especially for low-income communities.
“But the WHO, did you see what happened?” Trump said. “They admitted Donald Trump was right. The lockdowns are doing tremendous damage to these Democratically run states … Suicide rates, drug rates, alcoholism, death by so many different forms.”
“I just want to congratulate the governor of Florida. You’re open for business and you’re doing good,” he added.
Florida added 1,500 new coronavirus cases on Monday, as well as 48 more deaths and 91 new hospitalizations, local NBC affiliate WESH 2 reported. Sanford City Commissioner Patrick Austin told the Daily Beast on Sunday he was concerned for the health of rallygoers.
“He has the right to do it,” Austin said. “I just don’t think it’s the right time.”
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