Donald Trump has revealed that he has been taking anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to ward off the coronavirus.
He made the revelation on Monday.
“A lot of good things have come out on the hydroxy. I’m taking hydroxychloroquine. I’ve been taking it. I hope to not be able to take it soon. But I think people should be allowed to,” the president said at the White House during an unrelated meeting with restaurant industry bigs.
The president said he began taking the drug several weeks ago after getting a letter from a doctor extolling its benefits.
“He said out of hundreds of people that he’s treated he hasn’t lost one. All I can tell you is, so far I seem to be OK. If it doesn’t work you’re not going to get sick or dye. It’s been heavily tested,” Trump said.
Trump was responding to a question about Dr. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, who told Congress he was transferred to another job after he declined to be pressured to push hydroxychloroquine despite studies suggesting it could cause serious side effects, including death.
“I’ve taken it about a week and a half now, and I’m still here. I get a lot of tremendously positive news on the hydroxy, and you know the expression I use, ‘What do you have to lose?’ ” he said, reporting he had “zero symptoms” or side effects.
The president would not say if other members of his family or administration were taking hydroxychloroquine, but that he had been also been taking zinc supplements as well.
