Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie Recounts Week Spent In ICU Battling COVID-19

Chris Christie urged U.S. citizens to wear masks after the former New Jersey Gov. was placed in the intensive care unit for seven days while fighting COVID-19. Christie added that the virus is "something to take very seriously."

"I believed that, when I entered the White House grounds that I had entered a safe zone, due to the testing that I and many others underwent every day. I was wrong," Christie said in a statement.

"I was wrong to not 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."

The government's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, last week called the Rose Garden event, where few attendees wore masks, a "super-spreader event."

Christie also announced that he recovered from COVID-19. In a statement, the former Gov. thanked the doctors and drug manufacturers that treated him. "I want to thank the doctors and nurses for their skillful and compassionate care. I want to thank the manufacturers of Remdesivir and the Eli Lilly monoclonal anti-body cocktail for giving me access to their extraordinary treatments."

"I am confident that all of those factors contributed to my good health today," he added.

In his statement, Christie appeared to distance himself from Trump and emphasized the seriosity of the virus.

"No one should be happy to get the virus and no one should be cavalier about being infected or infecting others," Christie said. "It is something to take very seriously. The ramifications are wildly random and potentially deadly."

He added that "as a former public official, I believe we have not treated Americans as adults, who understand truth, sacrifice, and responsibility. ... When you have seven days in isolation in an ICU though, you have time to do a lot of thinking," Christie said, advocating that people "follow CDC guidelines in public no matter where you are and wear a mask to protect yourself and others."

The former governor advocated for mask-use.

"Every public official, regardless of party or position, should advocate for every American to wear a mask in public, appropriately socially distance and to wash your hands frequently every day," Christie said. "At the same time, we should be reopening in every corner of this nation under these guidelines."

"I believe that these two steps can bring our country together while our pharmaceutical companies invent the therapeutics and vaccines which will rid us of this virus," he added.

When asked about Christie's comments at an NBC town hall President Donald Trump said: "Well, I mean, he has to say that. I think it's great. He's a friend of mine. He's a good guy. And wrong or not wrong, you have to understand, as president, I can't be locked in a room some place for the next year and just stay and do nothing."