President Trump said Wednesday it is important to speed monoclonal antibodies and other drug therapies to hospitals to help people overcome the coronavirus, saying it helped him rebound from infection.
“I wasn’t feeling so hot, and within a very short period of time, they gave me Regeneron. And other things too, but I think this was the key. But they gave me Regeneron and it was like unbelievable, I felt good immediately,” he said in a five-minute video from outside the West Wing.
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT! pic.twitter.com/uhLIcknAjT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2020
The president, who is still recovering from the virus, is wearing a navy suit and red necktie and doesn’t appear to be suffering from symptoms.
Mr. Trump noted a similar drug is coming from Eli Lilly and Co. and the Food and Drug Administration may approve it on an emergency basis.
He said seniors, in particular, will get the drugs quickly and suggested they might be delivered at no cost.
“You’re gonna get better, you’re gonna get better really fast,” he said. “This is things that nobody even thought of even a few months ago.”
Mr. Trump went so far as to call his infection, confirmed last Thursday, a “blessing in disguise,” saying it was his suggestion to receive the Regeneron drug that was made available under “compassionate use” rules.
“I want to get for you what I got,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump complained, however, that FDA rules for emergency authorization of a vaccine will extend beyond Nov. 3.
“They want to play their games, it’s going to be right after the election,” Mr. Trump said.
The president also reiterated his anger with China, saying it was their fault the virus spread around the world after it leaped to humans in Wuhan in December.