Highlights
- President Trump asked if injecting disinfectants can help treat Coronavirus
- Reckitt Benckiser warned people against using disinfectants to treat Corona
- President Trump later took back his statement saying he was being sarcastic
New Delhi: There has been an outcry to US President Donald Trump’s offhand remarks during a press briefing on Thursday (April 23), when he wondered aloud if injecting disinfectants can help treat Coronavirus infection.
“Is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?” President Trump asked. “Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
Also Read: Fighting COVID-19: What It Is Like To Live In A Coronavirus ‘Hotspot’
Reckitt Benckiser, manufacturers of Dettol and other brands of disinfectants promptly put out a statement on their website countering any such possibility. The company stated categorically,
As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route). As with all products, our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information.
President Donald Trump’s musings were quickly picked up to be converted into memes and wisecracks online and offline.
Also Read: Coronavirus Will Be With Us For A Long Time: World Health Organisation
https://twitter.com/MiladFar1990/status/1253834863435751424?s=20
Trump saying the #disinfectant
Comment was a gotcha moment for the news#TrumpIsALaughingStock pic.twitter.com/T0W1dN71qS— Oops I Did It Again (@Amberwaves_1) April 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/MiladFar1990/status/1253834863435751424?s=20
It works by ‘killing’ the host… ???? ???? #TrumpDisinfectant pic.twitter.com/j5Is8IjONF
— Kevin Monahan (@kevinjmonahan) April 24, 2020
Also Read: UNICEF Issues Safety Guidelines For Journalists Working Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Forcing the President on Friday (April 24) to say to journalists at the White House,
I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you, just to see what would happen.
But a tweet by Maryland Emergency Management Agency after it reportedly got over 100 calls, shows that some people had taken the President’s comments seriously.
ALERT????: We have received several calls regarding questions about disinfectant use and #COVID19.
This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route.
— Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MDMEMA) (@MDMEMA) April 24, 2020
The latest comments from the US President have come after a series of scientifically unproven claims about possible therapies and medicines like hydroxychloroquine to cure COVID-19. On Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement regarding, “Known side effects of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, including serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm problems, that have been reported with their use for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19, for which they are not approved by the FDA.”
While clinical trials are ongoing to determine the safety and effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for #COVID19, there are known side effects of these medications that should be considered. https://t.co/eFURIsAeX2 pic.twitter.com/4KnWycQKDE
— Dr. Stephen M. Hahn (@SteveFDA) April 24, 2020
The Coronavirus death toll in US crossed 50,000 on Friday (April 24). The outbreak has posed herculean challenges for the health infrastructure to cope with in many developed countries of the world including the US which has now seen maximum Coronavirus casualties in the world. Adding to the grim situation posed by this unrelenting global pandemic are such unscientific claims and misinformation about a cure, which is still a long way away.
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