Trump's doctor says he has no COVID symptoms, but expert cautions next 5 days could be critical

President Trump's physician says the president is doing extremely well and is reporting no COVID symptoms, as of Tuesday morning.

Dr. Sean Conley told reporters Monday the president's medical team will feel relieved if they can get Trump through the weekend and into next week without any complications of the virus.

Dr. Mukul Patharkar, an infectious disease physician with the ID Group in Atlanta, who is treating COVID-19 patients, says the president will need to be closely monitored for the next week.

He says this virus can be unpredictable. 

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"Sometimes, we get a false sense of security with somebody, after the initial diagnosis," Patharkar explains.

Patharkar says he has seen a pattern in some severely ill hospitalized patients: they get treatment, and start to feel better, only to develop more severe complications about seven to 10 days into the virus.

"When that happens, that can happen very, very rapidly," Patharkar explains.

The president's medical team says his vital signs stable, as of Tuesday morning, after a couple of incidents over the weekend, when his oxygen levels dropped significantly.

Patharkar says the White House Medical Unit will be monitoring the president's oxygen levels and breathing, and closely tracking his vital signs.

"If they feel like things are getting a little worse, they might repeat a chest x-ray, to see if the inflammation in the lungs is progressing," he says.

Patharkar says the president may feel better, but he is still contagious.

He recommends COVID-19 patients returning home and avoid close contact with others in their home for at least 10 days.

"You want to stay in isolation," Patharkar says.  "You don't want to be risking exposing anyone else."

Trump appears eager to get back on the campaign trail, tweeting he is looking forward to the next presidential debate on Oct. 15, 2020.

Under CDC guidelines, anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, should isolate and take precautions for 10 days from the day they developed symptoms and should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication.

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