President Trump said he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a drug he’s repeatedly touted as a therapeutic for the coronavirus.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion with restaurant executives and industry leaders at the White House on Monday, Trump told reporters he was taking the drug to protect against COVID-19.
“A lot of good things have come out. And you’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the front-line workers, before you catch it. The front-line workers — many, many are taking it. I happen to be taking it,” he said.
The president added that he has been taking the drug for a “couple of weeks” and is still doing so.
“I think it’s good. I’ve heard a lot of good stories,” Trump said of the drug, saying that taking the drug had been done in consultation with the White House physician.
Trump has repeatedly touted hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, as a potential therapeutic treatment for those who test positive for COVID-19.
There is not yet an established treatment or cure for the coronavirus. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said more “definitive studies” are needed on hydroxychloroquine before it and others could be considered “knockout drugs.”
