The full transcript is more than 8000 words in length so in order for our readers to have the opportunity to process all the information in bite-sized chunks The BFD is publishing the content over eight consecutive days.
A group of American doctors calling themselves “America’s Frontline Doctors” held a press conference on COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine, and more outside the Supreme Court of the United States. Part five of the full transcript of their press conference is below.
Speaker 6: (22:34)
If I can ask one more question. There was a little girl who just a few days ago [inaudible 00:22:37] otherwise healthy and it was concluded that she died of COVID-19 so I was curious from your perspective, you feel that this little girl possibly died from some other condition and it was attributed to COVID-19 or is there some other reason why she [crosstalk 00:00:22:52].
Dr. Stella Immanuel: (22:52)
I will not. I will not be able to say that till I look at the little girl’s history and whatever happened. I know I’ve taken care of a lot of family members and I see a lot of children and they usually get mild symptoms, but I cannot talk about kids that I have not looked at.
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (23:07)
What was the age of the child again?
Speaker 6: (23:10)
She was nine years old.
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (23:10)
Okay. So listen, there are children who are dying of this infection. And the reality is that when they do die, they seem to have comorbidities. Really, you have to kind of look at each individual case. Uniquely there have been a little over 30 patients in the entire country, in the age category of 15 and below who have died of COVID. Frequently they do have comorbidities like heart disease. They have asthma, they have other pulmonary issues. So I don’t know, we don’t know the answer to this nine year old girl, tragically. She passed, and she’s no longer with us, but there’s probably, if you dig into it, there’s probably a story behind it.
Speaker 1: (23:48)
Dr. Hamilton, have you seen any patients who are having adverse side effects because schools have been closed, who have depression or suicide?
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (23:54)
I mean, I think that it is common knowledge that with the schools not being open, when you think about what your experience in junior high and high school-
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (24:03)
… not being open. When you think about your experience in junior high and high school, what do you think about? You think about parties and you think about football games, socializing. Those are the things we think about. Those are all being shut down, folks. Nobody is having fun anymore. And I will tell you that these are critical years of life to be out mixing with other kids, other people, and that has been shut down. So yes, there are lots of comorbidities that go along with shutting down. We’re talking about anxiety, we’re talking about depression, loneliness, abuse is happening, and kids who have particular… Children who have special needs, kids are not doing well either. So, there is a long list of complications that occur when you quarantine and lockdown people.
Speaker 7: (24:48)
So an extension to what you were just talking about, we hear all these studies and all this polling that moms are afraid to go back to work because of letting their children go to school, they shouldn’t go to school because then they’re exposed, and if the moms go back to school, then the elderly grandparents, they’re [crosstalk 00:25:04].
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (25:04)
Right, well, this is the big [crosstalk 00:25:05].
Speaker 7: (25:06)
Can you speak to that please?
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (25:07)
Sure. Yeah, this is a big issue because people are afraid not that their children are going to get particularly ill, because I think they’re learning the truth is that this infection is being tolerated well by children. But certainly, they look at their environment, their particular unique family, and I think in some situations that may be an appropriate fear. However, I do think that as a general comment, a general rule through the country, kids can go back to school. Maybe a few kids here and there, their living situation, who they’re being cared for, that can be a potential problem. But again, for younger children in particular, they’re not the ones passing on the disease to the adults.
Speaker 7: (25:52)
Wouldn’t the hydroxychloroquine be…
Dr. Stella Immanuel: (25:52)
I’ll talk about that.
Speaker 7: (25:52)
Maybe Dr. Immanuel can speak to that, or somebody else.
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (25:53)
Well hydroxychloroquine, yeah. [crosstalk 00:25:56].
Speaker 7: (25:53)
In terms of as a prophylaxis.
Dr. Bob Hamilton: (25:53)
That can be done. Yes, that can be used. [crosstalk 00:26:06]
Dr. Stella Immanuel: (26:06)
We’re talking about, we can’t open our businesses. We can’t go to school and parents are scared to get treated. And I personally, have put over a hundred people on hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis. Doctors, teachers, people who are health care workers, my staff, me, I see over 15 to 20, sometimes 20, 15, 10 patients a day. I use a surgical mask. I’ve not been infected. Nobody I know has been infected that’s around me. So this is the answer to this question. You want to open schools, everybody get on hydroxychloroquine. That is the prevention for COVID. One tablet every other week is good enough. And that is what we need to get across to the American people. There’s prevention and there is cure. We don’t have to lock down schools. We don’t have to lock down our businesses. There’s prevention, and there is cure. So instead of talking about a mask, instead of talking about lockdowns, instead of talking about all these things, put our teachers on hydroxychloroquine.