Politicians and Pharmaceuticals. Deadly Combination.
It was the sneering. The glee. And the absolute euphoria that exposed the left and their enablers in the media as ghoulish cheerleaders for the coronavirus back in April.
When studies seemed to show that hydroxychloroquine - an anti-malarial drug touted by President Trump as a possible treatment for Covid-19 - was not effective, left-wingers like cable news anchors Rachel Maddow and Don Lemon smirked with delight.
News reports that debunked the value of the anti-malarial made headlines everywhere. Proof that the president was nothing more than a snake-oil salesman, peddling hope and unproven drugs.
It’s true that President Trump and others dared to be optimistic about the efficacy of the anti-malarial drug in March after several European studies showed positive results. At that point it was becoming clear that “15 days to slow the spread” was going to stretch on for months. A cheap, effective pharmaceutical that might save lives was excellent news.
But the media relentlessly mocked Trump. And despite the fact that millions of people around the globe take the drug daily to treat lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and to prevent malaria, the press treated it as an unproven pharmaceutical.
They even blamed the president when some moron drank fish tank cleaner and died.
It became clear that some who loathe Trump would rather Americans become gravely ill and die than benefit from a drug that he hoped would work.
Sick, I know.
So we can only imagine the left’s disappointment and disbelief last week when a large study out of the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan showed that hydroxychloroquine taken with Z-Paks saved lives.
The Henry Ford team said they believe their findings show hydroxychloroquine could be potentially useful as a treatment for coronavirus, reported The Detroit Free Press.
"It's important to note that in the right settings, this potentially could be a lifesaver for patients," Dr. Steven Kalkanis, CEO of the Henry Ford Medical Group, said at the news conference.
CNN labeled the study “surprising.” Other outlets didn’t report on it at all.
At least one Virginia Beach resident, Dave Paddock, felt vindicated. His life was saved by the drug back in early April. And he fumed whenever snarky members of the media ridiculed the efficacy of the drug.
Paddock, a 65-year-old Naval Academy grad who works in finance, returned from a trip to California to visit family on March 18. Six days later he experienced a violent headache and a pain in one eye. His doctor did a teleconference and treated him for a sinus infection. A few days later, when he hadn’t recovered she prescribed Zithromax. That would prove to be a stroke of genius.
On March 31 he experienced severe breathing problems and was admitted to Sentara Leigh hospital in Virginia Beach. There Paddock was diagnosed with pneumonia and tested positive for Covid-19.
I texted with Paddock at that time. He was on oxygen and praying that he wouldn’t need a ventilator. He was very, very ill.
Paddock’s brother is a surgeon in New York. He conferred with Dave’s doctors and persuaded them to add hydroxychloroquine to his brother’s regimen. Staff at the hospital told Dave he was the first patient to get the drug.
What happened was nothing short of miraculous. Two days later Paddock was off oxygen. Two days after that he was home.
Dave Paddock is completely recovered now and feels great. No after-effects from the virus. He joked that he doesn’t see why he should have to wear a mask in public. After all, he knows he doesn’t have the virus. And he probably can’t catch it.
He said he wants to get a T-shirt emblazoned with, “You Want My Plasma.”
I spoke with him yesterday afternoon and he said he was always sure the drug worked, especially if administered early and in combination with a Z-pac.
He said anyone with Covid symptoms should talk with their doc about a combination hydroxychloroquine and Z-pac regimen. The earlier the better.
“It saved my life,” he says with certainty.
