WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 13: In response to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump announces that he is declaring a national emergency during news conference with National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci (2nd from L), Vice President Mike Pence and other members of his coronavirus task force and leaders from the healthcare industry in the Rose Garden at the White House March 13, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty)
President Donald Trump continued to promote the use of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, to fight the coronavirus despite the advice of health experts.
On Sunday, Trump recommended the drug for the second day in a row at the White House briefing while standing by two top public health officials. As he said the drug was “being tested now,” Trump said that “there are some very strong, powerful signs” of the drug working, although health experts have said the drug’s effectiveness against the coronavirus still needs to be tested further.
“But what do I know? I’m not a doctor,” the president added. “If it does work, it would be a shame we did not do it early,” Trump said, noting that the federal government purchased 29 million pills of the drug to be tested. “We are sending them to various labs, our military, we’re sending them to the hospitals.”
“What do you have to lose?” the president said, suggesting terminally ill patients should try the drug.
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