We believed Donald Trump when he dismissed Covid-19 as being no worse than a bad cold

Broadcaster and columnist Phillip Adams. Picture: Peter Stoop

I speak for every patriotic Australian in praising the Real US President for his leadership during the pandemic. We believed Donald Trump when he dismissed Covid-19 as being no worse than a bad cold and echoed his belief that it would disappear like “a miracle”. Not because of some yet-to-be invented medicine but because of the power of warm weather and, presumably, prayer. And/or by following his suggestions that one might drink bleach. We cheerfully blew Trumpian raspberries at that quack Anthony Fauci while scorning all pandemical medical advice from local stooges such as Norman Swan.

Even when the US death toll topped 700,000, the world’s 4.5 million and Australia’s 1400, we did not fear walking through the valley of death because Trump, “the chosen one”, was with us. We preferred presidential optimism to “fake” vaccines and gloried in the prayers of his favourite Pentecostals, taking particular comfort from Trump’s “personal spiritual adviser” Paula White and that most energetic of evangelists Kenneth Copeland who, memorably, “banished Covid to hell” by simply laughing at it. And I quote: “HA HA HA HA!!!”

But me of little faith began to think that perhaps, just perhaps, a jab or two just might help. That perhaps, just perhaps, anti-vaxxers were nuts. Not fussing over Pfizer, we were happy to take anything available. Even the accursed AstraZeneca, made unpopular here by the same Federal Government that failed utterly to provide adequate supplies of Pfizer.

So while still sending donations to Paula, Kenneth and Hillsong Church, Patrice and I were vaccinated. Only to become two of the unfortunate few who nevertheless got Covid. I disappeared from my radio program for weeks while quarantined on the farm, effectively home-hospitalised. I reveal this now we’ve fully recovered (thanks to AstraZeneca, the symptoms were mild) and because we want to thank NSW Health for their remarkable efforts. First, a nurse made a five-hour round trip from Newcastle to explain how to use various devices that would be monitored remotely on a daily basis. Friendly and very professional nurses would phone every day on the dot, ask for our temperatures, pulse rate, oxygenation levels etc. Blessings upon you Kylie, Barbara and Rhianna. And thanks to the local policeman, who’d drive to the farm and don the full PPE cossie to make sure we were behaving. Until, finally, NSW Health gave us a clean bill of health.

Consider that through this period the crisis was escalating and the caseload soaring – from the low hundreds into the thousands every day. NSW Health, under an impossible workload, managed countless cases like ours. Aided by the professionalism of its medicos, it got us through it. A brilliant effort from a much-maligned bureaucracy. We sing their praises and thank them.

Yet Trumpian nonsense still abounds, as do inane, insane and deadly dangerous demos that demonstrate only terminal stupidity. Local Trumpians like Clive Palmer promote Donald’s fake-cure hydroxychloroquine while select federal politicians market misinformation on an industrial scale via social media. Even the riots are Trumpian, reminiscent of the storming of the Capitol. And the first responders – the doctors and nurses in our hospitals and the people at NSW Health – face abuse.

Yes, many conspiracy theorists die from their own delusions – particularly in the US Republican states, many still denying Covid on their deathbeds. Meanwhile, the treasonous Trump plots to run again in 2024 – and might very well win. Talk about miracles.