Trump argues for schools reopening citing Barron’s coronavirus diagnosis

'It happens. People have it, and it goes,' Trump told a cheering Des Moines crowd. 'Get the kids back to school.'

Oct 15, 2020

President Donald Trump is arguing that his son’s symptom-free COVID-19 experience is reason enough to reopen U.S. schools.

“Barron Trump, he had the corona-19,” Trump said at a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa. “He had the China virus, right? And he had it for such a short period of time. I don’t even think he knew he had it because they’re young, and their immune systems are strong, and they fight it off 99.9 percent. And Barron is beautiful, and he’s free, free.”

Barron Trump, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump photographed in August on the South Lawn of the White House. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The youngest of the five Trump children is the only one among them to report a positive test after their father contracted the coronavirus.

“It happens. People have it, and it goes. Get the kids back to school. We’ve got to get them back to school,” the president said to a cheering crowd.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, the private school 14-year-old Barron attends, has conducted all classes virtually since the beginning of the school year.

Many campuses across the country are conducting partial or fully virtual classes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 not just among students, but to teachers, other school staff members and all their families.

Coronavirus has killed more than 217,000 Americans.

First Lady Melania Trump announced that the first son had contracted the virus in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms,” she said. “In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative.”

Mrs. Trump also announced she had tested negative after her own battle with the virus. She said that she experienced “minimal symptoms,” with body aches, cough, headaches and fatigue.

“Along with this good news, I want people to know that I understand just how fortunate my family is to have received the kind of care that we did,” she said. “If you are sick, or if you have a loved one who is sick—I am thinking of you and will be thinking of you every day.”

At his Iowa rally, Trump described his coronavirus experience.

“It’s a little tough,” he said. “You have a temperature, and you don’t feel good.”

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