Trump claims son Barron's coronavirus infection was 'gone' after '15 minutes' and says it's evidence we need to reopen schools
President Trump claimed that his son Barron's coronavirus infection was 'gone' in 15 minutes.
Trump made the claim while speaking to his supporters during a rally in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, Monday afternoon.
'Of course Barron had it,' Trump said of coronavirus, which he, First Lady Melania Trump and their 14-year-old son, Barron, had all been diagnosed with earlier in October.
During a rally Monday, Trump said that son Barron's coronavirus was 'gone' after 15 minutes. Trump is pictured here at that rally in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania
Trump then pointed to Barron's 'young, strong, immune system.'
The president recalled his supposed conversation with a doctor about Barron's positive test result.
'I said, "What's the story, doc, with Baron?"' Trump said from the podium.
According to Trump, the doctor replied: 'Sir, he tested positive.'
'Like 15 minutes later,' Trump said, he asked the doctor: 'How's Barron doing?'
'Sir, it's gone,' Trump said the doctor told him, as the crowd laughed.
The anecdote appeared to be in aid of Trump's pushing for the reopening of schools for in-person learning, something which many states have been hesitant to do due to health concerns.
During his recently rallies in locations around the country, Trump has been using Barron's apparent rapid recovery from coronavirus as an example for why it's okay for schools to reopen.
'Young, strong immune systems, right?' Trump said during a rally in battleground state Wisconsin on Saturday.
Trump , First Lady Melania and Barron were diagnosed with coronavirus earlier in October. The family is pictured together in August
'Go back to school. Let's go back to school. No, it's true. We tested positive and then 15 minutes later I said, "How's he doing, doc? He's fine,"' Trump said during that speech.
The American Academy of Pediatrics said Monday said that 792,000 children in the US had been infected with coronavirus.
As of October 22, the group found that children represented 11 per cent of all coronavirus cases in the US.
Although the group did not attach a number to it - due to fewer states reporting hospitalizations and death by age - they did note that it was 'uncommon' for children to suffer coronavirus-related hospitalization or death.
They also reported that currently, 'it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is rare among children.'
According to the report, only 1 per cent to 3.6 per cent of the reported coronavirus-related hospitalizations were for children.
Meanwhile, zero to 0.23 per cent of reported virus-related deaths involved children, while 16 states had said that no kids had died from coronavirus.
Still, from the period between October 8 to October 22, the group found that were 4,555 new reported cases of coronavirus among children, representing a 14 per cent increase in the age group, The Hill reported.