What Trump’s positive test means for his health and recovery | Coronavirus Newsletter
Plus, how Trump’s COVID-19 infection has affected Pennsylvania.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/WFYFJG2SZZDLZNHADZGWNOUXXY.jpg)
TL;DR: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump say they are experiencing mild symptoms after testing positive for the coronavirus. The president will spend a few days at Walter Reed hospital. This news has traveled around the world, plummeted stocks, rocked the election in our state, and spurred leaders to re-emphasize that everyone should wear masks, social distance, and remember that no one is immune from becoming infected. What does Trump’s positive coronavirus test mean for his health and recovery? Read a breakdown here.
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)
What you need to know:
👐 Six days ago, President Donald Trump held a large rally in Pennsylvania that Gov. Tom Wolf tried to call off. At this time, the commonwealth is not encouraging attendees of the president’s Saturday rally in Harrisburg to be tested for the coronavirus.
🌡️ Trump met with supporters and attended a New Jersey fundraiser on Thursday. Gov. Phil Murphy is urging those attendees to self-quarantine and get tested.
🦠 The president was given “monoclonal antibodies.” Here’s what that means.
🚒 Trump was supposed to come to Philly on Sunday to celebrate a firefighters endorsement that’s roiling the union. But then he tested positive for the virus and his campaign has suspended all planned events.
😷 Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said no masks were worn during debate prep with the president earlier this week.
📈 West Chester declared a state of emergency Friday as cases surge among young adults. Lehigh University is scaling back campus activities, suspending athletics, amid a rise in cases. Ten Penn State students are suspended for the rest of the school year for breaking coronavirus rules.
🏈 The NFL is adding to its testing protocol after more Titans tested positive, and Sunday’s Steelers-Titans game will be postponed until later in the season.
📰 What’s going on in your county? We organized recent coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by local counties mentioned in the stories to make it easier for you to find the info you care about.
Local coronavirus cases
📈The coronavirus has swept across the Philadelphia region and cases continue to mount. The Inquirer and Spotlight PA are compiling geographic data on tests conducted, cases confirmed, and deaths caused by the virus. Track the spread here.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump announced early Friday they are experiencing mild symptoms and were quarantining after testing positive for the coronavirus. By early evening, the White House said that as a precaution, Trump will spend a “few days” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Former Vice President Joe Biden; his wife, Jill Biden; Vice President Mike Pence; and Second Lady Karen Pence all tested negative. This news has traveled around the world, plummeted stocks, brought uncertainty that has rocked the election in Pennsylvania, and spurred leaders to re-emphasize that no one is immune from becoming infected, and that everyone should wear masks and social distance. Here is a timeline of Trump’s activities leading up to the coronavirus diagnosis.
President Donald Trump’s announcement that he tested positive for coronavirus raises a lot of questions. The president’s age, 74, and weight, which qualifies as obese, put him in the high risk category of having a serious reaction to a coronavirus infection. Still, the Centers for Disease Control says the mortality rate for infected people age 70 and up is estimated to be about 5%. I’m sure you have plenty of other questions, like: When was Trump likely exposed? What is the recommended treatment? How quickly could he progress to serious symptoms? How does this affect his campaign? And how is contact tracing being used in this case? Read some answers here.
Helpful resources
These 8 principles of social distancing can help you figure out what you can and can’t do.
If you’ve hit a COVID-19 wall, here are ways to cope.
The coronavirus is mainly transmitted through the air. Here’s how to tell if your ventilation is OK.
How does the virus affect your entire body?
Here’s what to know about traveling safely during the pandemic.
You got this: Pick apples, eat donuts, drink cider
It’s apple-picking season and even though the pandemic will make it a bit different than years before, you can still check out local orchards for apples, apple cider doughnuts, or apple pie. My colleague Nick Vadala rounded up some local orchards you can check out this weekend.
🎃 The Nightmare Before Tinsel bar is set to return for Halloween.
🖼️ Here are some art shows to see in Philly this fall.
🏈 Two big SEC games headline this weekend’s college football schedule.
Have a social distancing tip or question to share? Let us know at health@inquirer.com and your input might be featured in a future edition of this newsletter.
What we’re paying attention to
GOP donors are '‘freaking out’ after coming close to President Donald Trump at a fundraiser in Bedminster, N.J., hours before his positive COVID-19 test, CNBC reports.
There has been increasing evidence that the coronavirus spreads through air, but official guidance has not changed much. One scientist has had enough, and made a Google Doc to educate the public about transmission, MIT Technology Review reports.
“Healthy Town Tioga Project aims to transform a struggling section of North Philadelphia,” the Philadelphia Citizen reports.
Enjoy getting our journalism through email? You can also sign up for The Inquirer Morning Newsletter to get the latest news, features, investigations and more sent straight to your inbox each morning Sunday-Friday. Sign up here.