Chris Christie Makes A Surprising Admission After His COVID-19 Experience

Until we've had COVID-19 ourselves, we'll probably have no way of knowing how it will affect us or those around us. Days in the ICU after his coronavirus diagnosis appears to have been a catalyst for former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who has come forward not just to thank his doctors, but to use his platform to deliver warnings — some which contradict what the White House says about the coronavirus.

"I believed that when I entered the White House grounds that I had entered a safe zone, due to the testing and that I and many others underwent every day. I was wrong. I was wrong not to wear a mask at the Amy Coney Barrett announcement, and I was wrong not to wear a mask at my multiple debate prep sessions with the president and the rest of the team. I hope that my experience shows my fellow citizens that you should follow CDC guidelines in public, no matter where you are and wear a mask to protect yourself and others," he wrote (via CNN).

Christie told The Washington Post in July that the White House didn't pursue a mask policy for one reason. "The fact is, you're not going to see it [masks] in the White House, which I do think would be a little bit ridiculous. The president, as I understand it, is tested very frequently... if the president is being tested frequently, numerous times, in some instances, I understand, numerous times a day — the likelihood of him having it is highly unlikely."

Chris Christie also admitted to experiencing a few other aha moments: "Having had this virus, I can also assure those who have not had it of a few things. It is something to take very seriously. The ramifications are wildly random and potentially deadly. No one should be happy to get the virus, and no one should be cavalier about being infected or infecting others," he said (via CNN). 

Christie's tone was far more cautious than that of his boss, President Donald Trump who famously said after leaving the hospital: "I learned so much about coronavirus. And one thing that's for certain, don't let it dominate you. Don't be afraid of it. You're going to beat it. We have the best medical equipment. We have the best medicines, all developed recently" (via Fox 8). 

Unlike the president, who has said he feels like "Superman" after his bout with COVID, Christie says he still suffers from fatigue. He says he doesn't know who infected him, and he now admits he doesn't know how often the president was being tested (via The New York Times). Christie was treated with blood thinners, Remdesivir — which was also prescribed to the president — as well as an experimental antibody cocktail manufactured by Eli Lilly. The cocktail has since been paused as a result of safety concerns.

Chris Christie further used his statement to acknowledge the missteps that triggered more than 8 million cases and over 217,000 deaths that have occurred since the outbreak (via The New York Times). "As a former public official, I believe we have not treated Americans as adults, who understand truth, sacrifice, and responsibility that I know them to be... The public health consequences of ignoring the virus and the responsible safeguards that we need to take will be additional illness and death caused by COVID-19," he said (via CNN).

Christie was more cavalier in May when asked about the coronavirus and the impact it might have on reopening without being cautious. Back then, the projection was that more than 100,000 would die from COVID-19. He told CNN: "Of course everybody wants to save every life they can, but the question is towards what end, ultimately? Are there ways we can thread the middle here to allow that there are going to be deaths, and there are going to be deaths no matter what, and if we can do things to keep people in the mode of wearing masks, of wearing gloves, of you know, distancing where appropriate." And when asked whether Americans could accept a daily death toll of 3,000 from the virus, Christie only said: "They're gonna have to. We're in the midst of a pandemic that we haven't seen in over 100 years. And we're going to have to continue to do things."