We awoke Friday to the news, delivered by Donald Trump himself, that the President of the United States and his wife tested positive for COVID-19.
The news shocked us — or did it? The man who scoffed at Joe Biden (“he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen,” was Trump’s Tuesday debate put-down aimed at the Democrat) and who attends campaign rallies maskless, is under observation for coronavirus symptoms with the best medical care on stand by.
Will Trump’s revelation suddenly make everyone in America who won’t wear a mask rush to frantically don one? Will college students stop gathering and spreading the virus and will this common-sense revelation sink into every American mind: If the President of the United States can get this virus, then anyone and everyone can get it.
Even as it has become one of the biggest health challenges to confront the United States and the world, COVID-19 has proved to be an enemy stubbornly resistant to modern medical weapons.
The rush to develop vaccines parallels a chaotically inconsistent precautionary approach to stemming and containing the virus. Business shutdowns and mask advisories prevailing in one part of the country contradict reopening decisions and “returns to normalcy” in other parts of the country.
We hope the President’s age and physical health will not trigger complications, putting him at grave risk from COVID-19. We do hope his new status as a COVID carrier compels him to finally and publicly state that simple safeguards repeated again and again by top health officials make sense when it comes to battling the pandemic.
Donald Trump’s is now the world’s most famous COVID case and, potentially, the most famous COVID patient. It’s past time for him to be the most recognizable spokesman warning people to take personal responsibility in eradicating the pandemic.
