Donald Trump waves to supporters from car on brief departure from hospital

"We're going to pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots that we have out on the street"
Imogen Braddick5 October 2020

Donald Trump briefly left hospital on Sunday in his car to wave to supporters gathered outside the medical centre where he is being treated for coronavirus

The US president's visit came shortly after he promised his supporters "a surprise" in a video posted on social media.

"It's been a very interesting journey," Mr Trump said in the video.

"I learned a lot about Covid. I learned it by really going to school. This is the real school. This isn't the 'let's read the books school'.

"And I get it, and I understand it. And it's a very interesting thing."

He added: "I also think we're going to pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots that we have out on the street."

Earlier in the day, Mr Trump's doctor said he "continued to improve" and suggested he could be discharged as early as Monday.

Dr Sean Conley said the president is "doing well" after he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre on Friday following his coronavirus diagnosis.

"The president has continued to improve," Dr Conley said.

Trump gives a thumbs up to the crowds outside the hospital
REUTERS

Dr Brian Garibaldi, a specialist in pulmonary critical care, said Mr Trump received a second dose of remdesivir on Saturday, along with a dose of dexamethasone following a drop in oxygen levels.

Dr Garibaldi said Mr Trump was given dexamethasone in response to "transient low oxygen levels".

"He received his first dose of that yesterday and our plan is to continue that for the time being," he said.

But he said Mr Trump is "up and well" and doctors planned to have him "out of bed" as much as possible on Sunday.

Dr Garibaldi and Dr Conley said the president will be able to return to the White House on Monday to finish his five-day course of remdesivir treatment if his condition continues to improve.

Mr Trump released a four-minute video on Saturday in which he said the "real test" of his condition will come over the next few days.

"Over the next period of a few days, I guess that's the real test, so we'll be seeing what happens over those next couple of days," Mr Trump said into the camera, looking tired and wearing a jacket and open-necked shirt.

On Saturday, Mr Meadows told reporters outside the hospital: "We're still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery."

Mr Trump's chief doctor had also expressed cautious optimism, but added that the president was "not yet out of the woods".

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