President returns to White House after release from Walter Reed
Trump announces his departure via tweet - NBC's Alice Barr reports
BETHESDA, Md. (KYMA, KECY/NBC News) - Three days after President Donald Trump was taken to Walter Reed Medical Center with alarming symptoms of coronavirus, he walked out on his own Monday.
The President flashed a thumbs up, then boarded Marine One to return to the White House where he'll continue his treatment.
On Twitter Monday night, Trump told his followers "don't be afraid of COVID."
"Don't let it dominate you. Don't let it take over your lives. Don't let that happen." he said.
The President also promised to be back on the campaign trail soon.
Trump's release comes amid furious debate over whether he's well enough to leave the hospital.
"Though he may not be entirely out of the woods yet, our team and I agree that all his evaluations, and more importantly, his clinical status support his return home"said Dr. Sean Conley, the President's physician.
Doctors say he continues to improved, but only after a delayed acknowledgement that his oxygen levels had dropped twice in recent days. Now he's taking a steroid typically only recommended for seriously ill patients in the hospital.
"They may be thinking they can turn the White House into a bit of a hospital for him, but if he needs intensive care unit he's going to have to go to someplace with a great team. It's a very very serious disease." said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
At the same time, questions remain about the scope of the outbreak inside the White House. Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and two top assistants joined the list of high-level staffers testing positive.
Even though President Trump is now back at the White House, medical experts agree, he'll need to be closely monitored over the next few days, because that time frame remains an area of serious concern.
