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President Trump claimed Monday he's been taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, even though multiple studies show the drug can be dangerous and is not an effective treatment for COVID-19. This comes as the U.S. COVID-19 death count tops 90,000 and all 50 U.S. states prepare to partially reopen by Memorial Day. We speak with Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of Harvard University's Global Health Institute, who says that testing needs to vastly improve in order for widespread reopenings. He calls the lack of accurate tests in the U.S. the nation's "Achilles heel," saying, "The testing saga will go down as one of the big fiascos that led to us being where we are today."
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I'm Amy Goodman, here in New York City. Juan Gonza'lez is joining us from his home in New Jersey. As the COVID-19 death toll tops 90,000 in the United States, President Trump claimed Monday he's been taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, even though multiple studies show the drug can be dangerous, is not effective in treating COVID-19.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Good things have come out about the hydroxy. A lot of good things have come out. And you'd be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the frontline workers, before you catch it. The frontline workers, many, many are taking it. I happen to be taking it. I happen to be taking it.
REPORTER 1: Hydroxychloroquine?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I'm taking it, hydroxychloroquine.
REPORTER 2: Right now?
REPORTER 3: When?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Right now, yeah.
REPORTER 3: Yeah, when?
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