Donald Trump Triggers Furious Backlash Over ‘Go To Work’ With Coronavirus Claim
Twitter users took President Donald Trump to task after he suggested in a rambling interview that it would be OK if people infected with the coronavirus ignored official advice to isolate and went to work instead.
Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday night:
A lot of people will have this and it’s very mild. They’ll get better very rapidly. They don’t even see a doctor. They don’t even call a doctor. You never hear about those people. So you can’t put them down in the category of the overall population in terms of this corona flu and/or virus. So you just can’t do that. So, if you know, we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work. Some of them go to work, but they get better.
Check out the clip here:
Here is the President of the United States telling the country it's okay to go to work with Coronavirus.
I'm not kidding. pic.twitter.com/Tz4kKbyear— Matt Rogers 🎙 (@Politidope) March 5, 2020
Trump has been peddling falsehoods and downplaying the virus threat amid his administration’s haphazard response, even as COVID-19 illnesses spread in the U.S.
Critics on social media appeared exasperated by Trump’s “go to work” suggestion, which contradicts Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that people with COVID-19 should “not go to work school or public areas” and “avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis.”
Not a doctor or a virologist or anything but DEFINITELY DO NOT GO TO WORK IF YOU HAVE CORONAVIRUS PLEASE AND THANK YOU. https://t.co/CpSxbvCHGs
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 5, 2020
Trump has had briefings from the nation's best doctors and scientists on #COVIDー19 and he still spouts total, dangerous bullshit.
He's not only stupid, he's unteachable. https://t.co/phw5V5s5As— Peter Gleick (@PeterGleick) March 5, 2020
Am a doctor. Don’t go to work with Coronavirus. Don’t listen to Stupid. https://t.co/5tmnuyhYrE
— Dr. Kathie Allen #DemCast (@kathieallenmd) March 5, 2020
It’s difficult to wrap your head around the fact that the president called into a TV show & made a series of statements during a pandemic directly contradicting public health advice. The mind boggles at how reckless & dangerous that is. People who follow his bad advice could die.
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) March 5, 2020
Please don’t go to work if you have the coronavirus
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) March 5, 2020
Love him or hate him it doesn't matter please do not listen to him about this. If you get the #caronavirus please follow the CDC guidelines to minimize the spread. Just because you have few symptoms doesn't mean the person you pass it to will be the same, it could kill them. https://t.co/Y4sSP6Cx1o
— Eric Garcia (@EricG1247) March 5, 2020
That is infuriating. This is a level of irresponsibility that is almost akin to shooting bullets randomly into crowds.
— Pennie Reese (@pennie_reese) March 5, 2020
Trying to kill your voters is an odd move. https://t.co/HZZajA6Ks9
— Giovanni Tiso (@gtiso) March 5, 2020
These are really dangerous lies. https://t.co/LAQpiOOPPG
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) March 5, 2020
Italy has just closed all their schools and we have President Dr Frankenstein down playing the risk because of poll numbers.
— Andrea R MD (@AndreaR9Md) March 5, 2020
If you are sick, please do not go to work! Damn! https://t.co/oNupCnNTpe
— Jenny Han (@jennyhan) March 5, 2020
Holy shit what a fucking moron. https://t.co/P5NuuN6hLg
— Randi Blue No Matter Fucking Who Singer (@rmayemsinger) March 5, 2020
this is also a man who's idea of 'going to work' is watching recorded cable news programs followed by 18 holes of golf
— 😷 sean spitzer (@snsptzr) March 5, 2020
Our idiot president is trying to get Americans killed right here. Because he's a moron.
What does it take before all Americans want this clown gone? https://t.co/hFxK4VEYji— Hugh Howey (@hughhowey) March 5, 2020
Trump calls it “Corona flu” and says, “Some people are getting better by sitting around.”
Please God make it stop. https://t.co/NWWwAYt4hv— Touré (@Toure) March 5, 2020
What do you expect from a man who looked at the eclipse without any protective glass?
A change must come in November.— 💫Patsy💥Dryden ☘️🌊🦋🙏🏻🌺 (@Patta47cake) March 5, 2020
Is encouraging an entire nation to deliberately spread a deadly pandemic an impeachable offense? Asking for a friend. https://t.co/e6FEnlvawh
— Charles Gaba (@charles_gaba) March 5, 2020
Well we wouldn't want to burden corporations with having to pay workers for sick days. https://t.co/o0DPmJWTP7
— Erik Kain (@erikkain) March 5, 2020
Going to work with a Covid19 infection should be considered an act of bioterrorism if the person has already been warned.
— 🌊Nell🏳️🌈 (@Nellethiell) March 5, 2020
a little knowledge is dangerous.
total ignorance is now presidential. https://t.co/G4kL8ywAwX— Damian Holbrook (@damianholbrook) March 5, 2020
I know a remarkable number of people who are following his lead and saying it's just a cough and a runny nose.
The flu kills 0.1% of people who get it.
Coronavirus seems to have a 2-3% mortality rate (probably a bit lower) and a concerning rate of developing pneumonia. https://t.co/fmCRipB37p— Dennis Mersereau (@wxdam) March 5, 2020
Trump keeps going to work and infecting millions of people with stupid. https://t.co/gotGmmwTnz
— Rick G. Rosner (@dumbassgenius) March 5, 2020
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.