“I think it’s worth it as a line of defence and I’ll stay on it for a little while longer. I’m just very curious myself, but it seems to be very safe,” Trump told reporters at the White House, a day after he disclosed that he has been taking the drug to ward off the deadly infection.

The US president said the drug has gotten a bad reputation only because ‘he was promoting it’. “So, I am obviously a very bad promoter. If anybody else were promoting it, they would say this is the greatest thing ever,” he said.

“It is a very powerful drug I guess but it doesn’t harm you and so I thought as a frontline defence, possibly it would be good, and I have had no impact from it,” Trump said, adding that the antimalaria drug has received tremendous reviews from doctors all over the world.

There have been some great studies about it in countries like Italy, France and Spain and doctors in the US have been very positive about it, he claimed.

“Many doctors came out and said it’s great,” he said. “I have a doctor in the White House. I said what do you think? And it’s just a line of defence,” he said, adding that the drug was inexpensive.

Trump alleged that a recent study on Veteran Affairs patients was inaccurate and the drug was given to those who were on the verge of dying.

“There was a false study done where they gave it to very sick people, extremely sick people, people that were ready to die. It was given by obviously not friends of the administration and the study came out, the people were ready to die. Everybody was old, had bad problems with hearts, diabetes and everything else you can imagine,” he said.

“So, they gave it. So, immediately when it came out, they gave a lot of false information,” Trump said.
Separately in an interview, Vice-President Mike Pence said he is not taking hydroxychloroquine. “I’m not. But I would never begrudge any American taking the advice of their physician,” he said.

“Hydroxychloroquine is a drug that’s been around for more than 40 years for treatment of malaria. But, early in this process, the FDA approved what’s called off-label use where physicians could prescribe hydroxychloroquine in terms they deemed appropriate. So, my physician has not recommended that, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take the counsel of my doctor

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With the easing of the lockdown measures and with more offices/workplaces starting operations, the Ministry directed that anyone diagnosed as a suspected/confirmed case of COVID-19 should immediately inform the office authorities and isolate themselves.

While there was no need to close the entire office building/halt work if one or two cases were detected, a large outbreak would require that the building be shut down for 48 hours and disinfected, it stated.
The guidelines make it mandatory to maintain a physical distance of at least one metre to be followed at all times along with use of face covers/masks.

The Ministry also said that no decision has been taken as yet to replace hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), introduced as a game-changer to arrest the spread of COVID-19, as a prophylactic, with HIV combination drugs, after reports of experts demanding that it be dropped from the safety guideline list of drugs prescribed for high-risk persons, including healthcare workers.

With experts questioning the effectiveness of HCQ, a senior health official said the drug was under review “but no decision has been taken to drop it just yet”.

Since the COVID-19 situation was a dynamic one and now with the lockdown being relaxed, a relook was being done by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

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“Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten! Thank you Prime Minister @Narendra Modi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!” the American President tweeted.

“I want to thank Prime Minister Modi of India for allowing us to have what we requested for the problem arose and he was terrific. We will remember it,” Mr Trump later told reporters at his daily White House news conference on corona virus on Wednesday.

Donald Trump had warned of “retaliation” if India did not agree to export hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug which is being tested as a corona virus cure.

Amid rising pressure and requests for the key drug from over 30 countries, led by the United States, the government on Tuesday said it will allow limited exports of the key drug to “nations that have been badly affected” by the pandemic.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump confirmed that the first shipment of a total of 29 million doses of the drug was on its way from three factories in Gujarat to the United States

I bought millions of doses… more than 29 million. I spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, a lot of it comes out of India. I asked him if he would release it. He was great. He was really good,” Donald Trump told American channel Fox News.

The US recorded nearly 2,000 novel corona virus deaths for a second day in a row, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The record-breaking figure of 1,973 deaths (slightly higher than the previous day’s toll of 1,939) brings the total number of US fatalities to 14,695.

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The move came hours ahead of a conference by US President Donald Trump, who spoke of “retaliation” if India didn’t do so.

People familiar with developments, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said existing orders from other countries, including the US, for hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol will be cleared only after meeting all domestic requirements.

The external affairs ministry said the two drugs will be supplied in “appropriate quantities” to all neighbouring countries dependent on India’s capabilities.

India, the largest producer of hydroxychloroquine, initially banned exports of the drug on March 25 to ensure adequate domestic supplies. Rules were tightened on April 4 by barring exports from special economic zones (SEZs) and export-oriented units (EOUs), where such bans don’t usually apply.

However, Trump and Brazil President  called on India to permit the supply of the drug to cope with Covid-19 cases in their countries. Early on Tuesday, Trump spoke about “retaliation” if India didn’t lift its hold on US orders.

But even before Trump warned India of retaliation, the Modi government had communicated to all countries, including the US, the change in policy to facilitate supply of critical drugs through institutionalised channels. The empowered committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided on Monday to lift export restrictions on 14 drugs and to licence the export of hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol after reconciling with domestic demand.

The department of pharmaceuticals under the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers and the external affairs ministry will decide on allocations on a case-to-case basis in view of the humanitarian situation related to the pandemic, the people said.

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