Donald Trump’s doctor faces daunting task: containing the world’s most powerful coronavirus patient
- Sean Conley has to keep US president from worsening his illness or infecting others, even as Trump itches to return to campaign trail
- With more White House staff testing positive for Covid-19 each day, doctor will have tough time keeping rest of West Wing safe
Donald Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, faces the daunting task of trying to keep the most powerful Covid-19 patient in the world from worsening his illness or infecting others, even as the president itches to return to the campaign trail to rescue his struggling bid for re-election.
Whether Conley and his White House Medical Unit can succeed remains an open question. In a West Wing where politics has taken priority over recommended public health measures, Conley’s office was unable to protect the White House staff, visitors or the president himself from the virus.
Now, the doctor must help determine when Trump can be released from isolation at home in the White House to return to the campaign trail, where he has fallen well behind former vice-president Joe Biden in both public opinion polls and fundraising. Moving too soon could risk the president’s health, but the longer he waits, the more pressure he is likely to face from Trump himself.
Conley has given public assurances that his White House unit is outfitted to provide the president all the care he needs to recover from the illness. The White House does not disclose its precise capabilities, but the unit has at least two locations in the complex, equipped to treat ailments from headaches to full-blown medical emergencies.
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Trump returns to the White House after only three days in hospital for Covid-19 treatment
With more White House staff testing positive for coronavirus each day, Conley’s unit will have a tough time keeping the rest of the West Wing safe. The medical staff has traced the White House cases to the September 26 Rose Garden ceremony for Trump to announce Amy Coney Barrett as his pick to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, people familiar with the matter said.