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At Fox News, Mixed Message on Malaria Drug: ‘Very Safe’ vs. ‘It Will Kill You’ At Fox News, Mixed Message on Malaria Drug: ‘Very Safe’ vs. ‘It Will Kill You’
(14 days later)
The stress of the coronavirus pandemic is testing even the closest relationships.The stress of the coronavirus pandemic is testing even the closest relationships.
President Trump and Fox News are no exception.President Trump and Fox News are no exception.
In a dust-up between the top-rated cable news channel and its most prominent loyal viewer, Mr. Trump unleashed a barrage against the Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto, who gave a withering on-air assessment of the president’s announcement that he was ingesting hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that can pose dangers for coronavirus patients.In a dust-up between the top-rated cable news channel and its most prominent loyal viewer, Mr. Trump unleashed a barrage against the Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto, who gave a withering on-air assessment of the president’s announcement that he was ingesting hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that can pose dangers for coronavirus patients.
“.@FoxNews is no longer the same,” Mr. Trump lamented on Twitter. Invoking the name of Fox News’s late founder, the president added: “We miss the great Roger Ailes. You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before. Looking for a new outlet!”“.@FoxNews is no longer the same,” Mr. Trump lamented on Twitter. Invoking the name of Fox News’s late founder, the president added: “We miss the great Roger Ailes. You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before. Looking for a new outlet!”
By Tuesday morning, the president had apparently warmed to the network again, congratulating the morning show “Fox & Friends” on its high ratings. But the fissure underscored Mr. Trump’s keen sensitivity to any hint of criticism from his preferred TV network, where star pundits like Sean Hannity and Steve Doocy have made prime-time and morning shows into pro-Trump cheering platforms.By Tuesday morning, the president had apparently warmed to the network again, congratulating the morning show “Fox & Friends” on its high ratings. But the fissure underscored Mr. Trump’s keen sensitivity to any hint of criticism from his preferred TV network, where star pundits like Sean Hannity and Steve Doocy have made prime-time and morning shows into pro-Trump cheering platforms.
Hydroxychloroquine was already a fraught subject at Fox News. The prime-time host Laura Ingraham has relentlessly promoted the drug as a potential cure for the coronavirus, even pitching Mr. Trump in person in the Oval Office. But many medical experts, including those at the Food and Drug Administration, have warned against its use to treat the disease, citing a risk of serious heart problems.Hydroxychloroquine was already a fraught subject at Fox News. The prime-time host Laura Ingraham has relentlessly promoted the drug as a potential cure for the coronavirus, even pitching Mr. Trump in person in the Oval Office. But many medical experts, including those at the Food and Drug Administration, have warned against its use to treat the disease, citing a risk of serious heart problems.
On Monday, Mr. Cavuto was hosting his 4 p.m. show when Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House that he had begun taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure against the coronavirus. When the camera cut to Mr. Cavuto, the anchor looked stricken.On Monday, Mr. Cavuto was hosting his 4 p.m. show when Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House that he had begun taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure against the coronavirus. When the camera cut to Mr. Cavuto, the anchor looked stricken.
“That was stunning,” Mr. Cavuto told viewers, going on to cite studies about the potentially fatal effects of hydroxychloroquine on older patients and those with heart conditions.“That was stunning,” Mr. Cavuto told viewers, going on to cite studies about the potentially fatal effects of hydroxychloroquine on older patients and those with heart conditions.
“If you are in a risky population here and you are taking this as a preventive treatment to ward off the virus — or in a worst-case scenario, you are dealing with the virus and you are in this vulnerable population — it will kill you,” Mr. Cavuto said. “I cannot stress enough: This will kill you.”“If you are in a risky population here and you are taking this as a preventive treatment to ward off the virus — or in a worst-case scenario, you are dealing with the virus and you are in this vulnerable population — it will kill you,” Mr. Cavuto said. “I cannot stress enough: This will kill you.”
Mr. Cavuto is himself part of a vulnerable population. He has multiple sclerosis, underwent emergency heart surgery in 2016, and survived Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his 20s. Since the coronavirus outbreak, he has regularly warned viewers about the risks of hydroxychloroquine and, more broadly, the medical danger of a premature end to quarantines.Mr. Cavuto is himself part of a vulnerable population. He has multiple sclerosis, underwent emergency heart surgery in 2016, and survived Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his 20s. Since the coronavirus outbreak, he has regularly warned viewers about the risks of hydroxychloroquine and, more broadly, the medical danger of a premature end to quarantines.
Those views place Mr. Cavuto at odds with many of Fox News’s most prominent conservative stars — and certainly with Mr. Trump, who was so irked by the anchor’s remarks that he blasted out Twitter posts cursing about Mr. Cavuto and calling him “foolish & gullible.”Those views place Mr. Cavuto at odds with many of Fox News’s most prominent conservative stars — and certainly with Mr. Trump, who was so irked by the anchor’s remarks that he blasted out Twitter posts cursing about Mr. Cavuto and calling him “foolish & gullible.”
Fox News declined to comment on Mr. Trump’s attacks. (One network personality, the meteorologist Janice Dean, defended Mr. Cavuto on Twitter, writing: “I agree with Neil. You can’t just throw the drug around like it’s a cure. It’s not.”)Fox News declined to comment on Mr. Trump’s attacks. (One network personality, the meteorologist Janice Dean, defended Mr. Cavuto on Twitter, writing: “I agree with Neil. You can’t just throw the drug around like it’s a cure. It’s not.”)
On Tuesday, after Mr. Trump again used a White House appearance to promote the drug, Mr. Cavuto re-upped his rebuttal.On Tuesday, after Mr. Trump again used a White House appearance to promote the drug, Mr. Cavuto re-upped his rebuttal.
“The issue here is whether it’s advisable to take to ward off Covid-19, and no less than the Food and Drug Administration warned back on April 24 that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing Covid-19,” Mr. Cavuto told viewers.“The issue here is whether it’s advisable to take to ward off Covid-19, and no less than the Food and Drug Administration warned back on April 24 that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing Covid-19,” Mr. Cavuto told viewers.
Mr. Cavuto was not the only Fox News figure to offer on-air criticism of Mr. Trump’s support of the drug. The network’s senior managing editor for health news, Dr. Manny Alvarez, appeared on Bret Baier’s Monday newscast and called the president’s words “highly irresponsible.”Mr. Cavuto was not the only Fox News figure to offer on-air criticism of Mr. Trump’s support of the drug. The network’s senior managing editor for health news, Dr. Manny Alvarez, appeared on Bret Baier’s Monday newscast and called the president’s words “highly irresponsible.”
The view was rosier from the conservative voices on Fox News’s most-watched opinion programs.The view was rosier from the conservative voices on Fox News’s most-watched opinion programs.
Minutes after Mr. Cavuto’s Monday broadcast, the talk show “The Five” offered up hosannas to the president. “When you get this drug to people who can tolerate it, I don’t think you can have any kind of heart condition or arrhythmias and things like that,” said the co-host Greg Gutfeld.Minutes after Mr. Cavuto’s Monday broadcast, the talk show “The Five” offered up hosannas to the president. “When you get this drug to people who can tolerate it, I don’t think you can have any kind of heart condition or arrhythmias and things like that,” said the co-host Greg Gutfeld.
Mr. Gutfeld also dismissed a Veterans Affairs study showing a link between the drug and an increased risk of death in coronavirus patients, asserting that the results had been hyped by journalists who “wanted that drug to be a failure because they want Trump to fail.”Mr. Gutfeld also dismissed a Veterans Affairs study showing a link between the drug and an increased risk of death in coronavirus patients, asserting that the results had been hyped by journalists who “wanted that drug to be a failure because they want Trump to fail.”
Updated June 2, 2020
Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.
Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home.
States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said.
Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.
On Tuesday’s “Fox & Friends,” the co-host Brian Kilmeade highlighted studies in France and China that are often cited by the drug’s proponents. “Don’t act like he just grabbed it from some witch doctor,” he said of Mr. Trump.On Tuesday’s “Fox & Friends,” the co-host Brian Kilmeade highlighted studies in France and China that are often cited by the drug’s proponents. “Don’t act like he just grabbed it from some witch doctor,” he said of Mr. Trump.
And Ms. Ingraham, who has resumed her frequent promotion of the drug, booked a doctor on her Monday show who called the drug “life-changing.”And Ms. Ingraham, who has resumed her frequent promotion of the drug, booked a doctor on her Monday show who called the drug “life-changing.”
“The people of the United States need to know that they have a brilliant president of the United States, and that he wants to keep himself safe and healthy so that he can guide us through this pandemic,” Dr. Ivette Lozano, a Texas clinician, told Ms. Ingraham.“The people of the United States need to know that they have a brilliant president of the United States, and that he wants to keep himself safe and healthy so that he can guide us through this pandemic,” Dr. Ivette Lozano, a Texas clinician, told Ms. Ingraham.
She added: “Doctors need to start prescribing it immediately.”She added: “Doctors need to start prescribing it immediately.”
Hydroxychloroquine has been prescribed by doctors around the country, who often cite the speed and severity of the coronavirus as a reason to try any medicinal tools available. Rigorous studies have failed to produce data showing significant benefits, and the F.D.A. said last month that hydroxychloroquine should not be used outside clinical trials or situations where a patient can be closely monitored.Hydroxychloroquine has been prescribed by doctors around the country, who often cite the speed and severity of the coronavirus as a reason to try any medicinal tools available. Rigorous studies have failed to produce data showing significant benefits, and the F.D.A. said last month that hydroxychloroquine should not be used outside clinical trials or situations where a patient can be closely monitored.
Ms. Ingraham offered her viewers some caveats, noting that “studies are still coming in.” But she left an impression that skeptics of hydroxychloroquine were fueled by animus toward the president.Ms. Ingraham offered her viewers some caveats, noting that “studies are still coming in.” But she left an impression that skeptics of hydroxychloroquine were fueled by animus toward the president.
“Look, people should be monitored,” Ms. Ingraham said. “But I think people aren’t getting it when perhaps — I say perhaps, I’m not a doctor — it could actually benefit them. And it’s very safe.”“Look, people should be monitored,” Ms. Ingraham said. “But I think people aren’t getting it when perhaps — I say perhaps, I’m not a doctor — it could actually benefit them. And it’s very safe.”