Americans are expressing outrage Friday as they learn former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a top Republican and top ally of President Donald Trump, is one of a very few people who was treated for COVID-19 with a “VIP” experimental antibody drug therapy, manufactured by Eli Lilly.
Christie, who checked himself into a hospital on October 3 after testing positive for coronavirus was present at the Trump White House’s “super-spreader” celebration for Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court. At least 34 people tested positive after attending the event.
Christie was also part of President Donald Trump’s debate prep team. He revealed almost no one wore masks during their sessions. On Thursday he said he learned from his illness and urged all Americans to wear masks, saying the federal government should have treated them as adults.
But S&P Global reports Christie is just “the latest person with VIP status to obtain access to a drug out of reach for most Americans,” noting that “bioethicists have raised concerns about the standards Lilly and Regeneron are using to provide access to the limited doses of their experimental antibody treatments.”
Christie was treated with Eli Lilly and Co.’s experimental antibody treatment, along with Gilead Sciences Inc.’s antiviral remdesivir, an Ebola drug.
“Lilly declined to comment specifically on how Christie obtained access to the company’s experimental antibody treatment and what criteria he met to receive the therapy.”
Over eight million Americans have been infected with coronavirus. On Thursday the US recorded 66,129 new COVID-19 cases. Nearly 220,000 have died already. That number is growing by the minute.
Many on social media, upon learning that Christie was treated with a drug almost no one else has access to, expressed anger – over his irresponsible behavior and that his status, access to the President, access to the best health care, and privilege allow him to benefit while Americans who are working hard to protect themselves and their families, yet contract COVID-19 are still dying.