Friday's coronavirus task force briefing, which have sometimes gone as long as two hours, lasted just over 20 minutes.
April 24, 2020, By Dareh Gregorian
A day after he floated the idea of using disinfectants and light to treat COVID-19, President Donald Trump declined to take any questions at his daily coronavirus briefing at the White House.
The briefing — which can sometimes last about two hours — was over in just over 20 minutes, following remarks from Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and FDA head Stephen Hahn. The two top government doctors charged with combating the coronavirus crisis, Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, were not in attendance.
On Thursday, Trump drew widespread criticism for suggesting light, heat and injecting disinfectants could be used to treat coronavirus patients.
"So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that too. Sounds interesting," Trump said then, addressing a Homeland Security official who'd said tests show the virus dies on surfaces more quickly in the heat.
"And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning? 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. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds, it sounds interesting to me.”
Doctors called the idea dangerous and irresponsible, while state and local government agencies and disinfectant manufacturers warned the products should not be ingested or injected.
Trump tried walking back the comments earlier Friday, claiming his suggestions had been "sarcastic."
"I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters just like you, just to see what would happen," Trump said during a bill signing for the coronavirus aid package.
But asked some more about the comments, he again suggested light could be used to kill the virus in the body.
"I'd like them now to look as it pertains to the human body, not just sitting on a railing or sitting on a wall. I'd like them to look as it pertains — because maybe there's something there. They have to work with the doc — I’m not a doctor. They have to work with the doctors. But maybe there is something to light and the human body and helping people that are dying," Trump said.
Asked if he was encouraging people to ingest disinfectant, he said, "No, of course — no."
Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News
April 24, 2020, By Dareh Gregorian
A day after he floated the idea of using disinfectants and light to treat COVID-19, President Donald Trump declined to take any questions at his daily coronavirus briefing at the White House.
The briefing — which can sometimes last about two hours — was over in just over 20 minutes, following remarks from Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and FDA head Stephen Hahn. The two top government doctors charged with combating the coronavirus crisis, Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, were not in attendance.
On Thursday, Trump drew widespread criticism for suggesting light, heat and injecting disinfectants could be used to treat coronavirus patients.
"So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that too. Sounds interesting," Trump said then, addressing a Homeland Security official who'd said tests show the virus dies on surfaces more quickly in the heat.
"And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning? 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. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds, it sounds interesting to me.”
Doctors called the idea dangerous and irresponsible, while state and local government agencies and disinfectant manufacturers warned the products should not be ingested or injected.
Trump tried walking back the comments earlier Friday, claiming his suggestions had been "sarcastic."
"I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters just like you, just to see what would happen," Trump said during a bill signing for the coronavirus aid package.
But asked some more about the comments, he again suggested light could be used to kill the virus in the body.
"I'd like them now to look as it pertains to the human body, not just sitting on a railing or sitting on a wall. I'd like them to look as it pertains — because maybe there's something there. They have to work with the doc — I’m not a doctor. They have to work with the doctors. But maybe there is something to light and the human body and helping people that are dying," Trump said.
Asked if he was encouraging people to ingest disinfectant, he said, "No, of course — no."
Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News
Facebook ads, conspiracy theorists pushed bleach consumption and UV ray cures
UV rays or disinfectants as treatments have been rejected by health and science communities — and embraced by conspiracy theorists and extreme alternative medicine communities.
DISINFECTANTS ARE SURFACE CLEANERS NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
President Trump suggested Thursday that beaming ultraviolet light “inside the body” should be tested as a coronavirus treatment. Health experts says UV radiation can cause skin irritation.Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
April 24, 2020, By Ben Collins and Brandy Zadrozny
Unfounded and harmful coronavirus treatments — including those that were floated by President Donald Trump — continue to spread online, evading efforts to crack down on misinformation.
Trump suggested at a White House news briefing Thursday that scientists should test beaming ultraviolet light “inside the body” and injecting disinfectants in an effort to find new coronavirus remedies.
“Supposing you hit the body with ultraviolet or just very powerful light," Trump said. "And I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it? Then I said supposing that you brought the light inside the body, either through the skin or some other way. And I think you said, you’re going to test that, too."
Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
A recent Homeland Security study found that the coronavirus on surfaces may be killed by humidity and high exposure to UV rays through sunlight, indicating that the outbreak may subside in the coming summer months. The study was featured during Thursday's news briefing.
But the use of UV rays or disinfectants for human treatment has been roundly rejected by the health and science communities — and embraced by conspiracy theorists and extreme alternative medicine communities. Bleach and most household disinfectants are highly toxic, and exposure to UV light has been linked to skin cancer.
Trump suggests disinfectant to kill virus inside the body APRIL 24, 2020
Advocating for the consumption of disinfectants like bleach and the use of ultraviolet beams as medical treatments has been commonplace for years on fringe parts of the internet, and false viral rumors about curing COVID-19 by drinking industrial alcohol have proven deadly across the world in recent weeks.
Trump's comments come as health policy experts continue to warn about the spread of coronavirus misinformation — an "infodemic," as the World Health Organization has warned.
Around that misinformation, a cottage industry of fake coronavirus treatments has emerged.
Facebook pages created in late March sold UV “sanitizer” lights, promising “a proven impact on COVID-19” and to be the “most effective way to kill viruses.” The companies, which had names like “Beam Sanitizer,” ran ads on Instagram and Facebook in March, according to Facebook's ad library. Some ads, including ones from companies including UV Sanitizers, and Uvlizer, were still active as of Friday morning. The products apparently evaded the company’s ban of ads for coronavirus miracle cures instituted last month.
In an effort to quell the impact of viral social media posts, the World Health Organization released a warning in March stating that “UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.”
Conspiracy theorists, including those that center around the QAnon conspiracy, have also advocated for drinking a diluted form of bleach called Medical Mineral Solution, or MMS.
QAnon adherents falsely believe Donald Trump is secretly running a military operation to rid the government of satanic, child-eating cannibals, and many QAnon followers believe those same people are responsible for the virus. Prominent QAnon accounts celebrated Trump’s apparent nod to bleach consumption or injection, with one prominent QAnon YouTuber and MMS reseller calling it “a good ‘lung cleaner’” on Thursday night.
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Last week, the Department of Justice announced a crackdown on the online sale of MMS, which it said “is a chemical product which, when combined with the included activator, creates a powerful bleach product that the defendants market for oral ingestion.”
“The Department of Justice will take swift action to protect consumers from illegal and potentially harmful products being offered to treat COVID-19,” Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt said in a press release for the DOJ’s injunction against Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, which was selling the product online.
Viral misinformation claiming isopropyl alcohol cures coronavirus led to the deaths of hundreds and sickened thousands of Iranians in March alone. Text messages, forwarded on messaging services like WhatsApp, pushed an urban legend that some people had cured themselves of the virus with whiskey or industrial-strength alcohol.
Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
In the U.S., some pro-Trump media sources began noting a section about isopropyl alcohol in a Department of Homeland Security memo that was leaked to Yahoo News last week. One day after the memo was leaked, The Epoch Times, a pro-Trump media outlet, highlighted a section of the PDF about isopropyl alcohol and bleach’s effect on the virus in saliva.
The leaked document does not recommend ingesting or injecting bleach at any point.
Five days later, Trump referred to disinfectants and ultraviolet light in his news briefing, citing “the way it kills it in one minute.”
Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert who is an NBC News and MSNBC contributor, told NBC News on Thursday that “injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible, and it's dangerous.”
"It's a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves," Gupta said.
Ben Collins covers disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News.
Brandy Zadrozny is an investigative reporter for NBC News.
Lysol maker warns against internal use of disinfectants after Trump comments
A spokesperson for the cleaning product company said it had a responsibility to give accurate information to the public.
Lysol makers warns it's not safe to treat coronavirus with disinfectant APRIL 24, 2020
By Lauren Egan
WASHINGTON — The manufacturer of Lysol, a disinfectant spray and cleaning product, issued a statement warning against any internal use after President Donald Trump suggested that people could get an "injection" of "the disinfectant that knocks (coronavirus) out in a minute."
"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)," a spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser, the United Kingdom-based owner of Lysol, said in a statement to NBC News.
"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," the statement continued, adding that the company believes it has a "responsibility in providing consumers with access to accurate, up-to-date information as advised by leading public health experts."
Watch: Dr. Birx reacts as Trump suggests ‘injection’ of disinfectant to beat coronavirus APRIL 24, 2020
April 24, 2020, By Ben Collins and Brandy Zadrozny
Unfounded and harmful coronavirus treatments — including those that were floated by President Donald Trump — continue to spread online, evading efforts to crack down on misinformation.
Trump suggested at a White House news briefing Thursday that scientists should test beaming ultraviolet light “inside the body” and injecting disinfectants in an effort to find new coronavirus remedies.
“Supposing you hit the body with ultraviolet or just very powerful light," Trump said. "And I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it? Then I said supposing that you brought the light inside the body, either through the skin or some other way. And I think you said, you’re going to test that, too."
Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
A recent Homeland Security study found that the coronavirus on surfaces may be killed by humidity and high exposure to UV rays through sunlight, indicating that the outbreak may subside in the coming summer months. The study was featured during Thursday's news briefing.
But the use of UV rays or disinfectants for human treatment has been roundly rejected by the health and science communities — and embraced by conspiracy theorists and extreme alternative medicine communities. Bleach and most household disinfectants are highly toxic, and exposure to UV light has been linked to skin cancer.
Trump suggests disinfectant to kill virus inside the body APRIL 24, 2020
Advocating for the consumption of disinfectants like bleach and the use of ultraviolet beams as medical treatments has been commonplace for years on fringe parts of the internet, and false viral rumors about curing COVID-19 by drinking industrial alcohol have proven deadly across the world in recent weeks.
Trump's comments come as health policy experts continue to warn about the spread of coronavirus misinformation — an "infodemic," as the World Health Organization has warned.
Around that misinformation, a cottage industry of fake coronavirus treatments has emerged.
Facebook pages created in late March sold UV “sanitizer” lights, promising “a proven impact on COVID-19” and to be the “most effective way to kill viruses.” The companies, which had names like “Beam Sanitizer,” ran ads on Instagram and Facebook in March, according to Facebook's ad library. Some ads, including ones from companies including UV Sanitizers, and Uvlizer, were still active as of Friday morning. The products apparently evaded the company’s ban of ads for coronavirus miracle cures instituted last month.
In an effort to quell the impact of viral social media posts, the World Health Organization released a warning in March stating that “UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.”
Conspiracy theorists, including those that center around the QAnon conspiracy, have also advocated for drinking a diluted form of bleach called Medical Mineral Solution, or MMS.
QAnon adherents falsely believe Donald Trump is secretly running a military operation to rid the government of satanic, child-eating cannibals, and many QAnon followers believe those same people are responsible for the virus. Prominent QAnon accounts celebrated Trump’s apparent nod to bleach consumption or injection, with one prominent QAnon YouTuber and MMS reseller calling it “a good ‘lung cleaner’” on Thursday night.
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CORONAVIRUSTrump suggests 'injection' of disinfectant to beat coronavirus and 'clean' the lungs
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Last week, the Department of Justice announced a crackdown on the online sale of MMS, which it said “is a chemical product which, when combined with the included activator, creates a powerful bleach product that the defendants market for oral ingestion.”
“The Department of Justice will take swift action to protect consumers from illegal and potentially harmful products being offered to treat COVID-19,” Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt said in a press release for the DOJ’s injunction against Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, which was selling the product online.
Viral misinformation claiming isopropyl alcohol cures coronavirus led to the deaths of hundreds and sickened thousands of Iranians in March alone. Text messages, forwarded on messaging services like WhatsApp, pushed an urban legend that some people had cured themselves of the virus with whiskey or industrial-strength alcohol.
Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
In the U.S., some pro-Trump media sources began noting a section about isopropyl alcohol in a Department of Homeland Security memo that was leaked to Yahoo News last week. One day after the memo was leaked, The Epoch Times, a pro-Trump media outlet, highlighted a section of the PDF about isopropyl alcohol and bleach’s effect on the virus in saliva.
The leaked document does not recommend ingesting or injecting bleach at any point.
Five days later, Trump referred to disinfectants and ultraviolet light in his news briefing, citing “the way it kills it in one minute.”
Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert who is an NBC News and MSNBC contributor, told NBC News on Thursday that “injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible, and it's dangerous.”
"It's a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves," Gupta said.
Ben Collins covers disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News.
Brandy Zadrozny is an investigative reporter for NBC News.
Lysol maker warns against internal use of disinfectants after Trump comments
A spokesperson for the cleaning product company said it had a responsibility to give accurate information to the public.
Lysol makers warns it's not safe to treat coronavirus with disinfectant APRIL 24, 2020
By Lauren Egan
WASHINGTON — The manufacturer of Lysol, a disinfectant spray and cleaning product, issued a statement warning against any internal use after President Donald Trump suggested that people could get an "injection" of "the disinfectant that knocks (coronavirus) out in a minute."
"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)," a spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser, the United Kingdom-based owner of Lysol, said in a statement to NBC News.
"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," the statement continued, adding that the company believes it has a "responsibility in providing consumers with access to accurate, up-to-date information as advised by leading public health experts."
Watch: Dr. Birx reacts as Trump suggests ‘injection’ of disinfectant to beat coronavirus APRIL 24, 2020
MORE CORRECTLY WATCH HOW SHE DOES NOT
ACT, BY CORRECTLY DENOUNCING THE STUPIDITY OF TRUMPS COMMENTS
SHE IS ENABLING HIM TO KILL AMERICANS
The Environmental Protection Agency also is reminding people to only use disinfectant on surfaces.
In a statement issued several hours before Trump spoke, the EPA said, "Never apply the product to yourself or others. Do not ingest disinfectant products."
The Trump administration's Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, also warned Americans, urging people to "always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/ medication to yourself or a loved one.
A reminder to all Americans- PLEASE always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/ medication to yourself or a loved one.
Your safety is paramount, and doctors and nurses are have years of training to recommend what’s safe and effective.— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) April 24, 2020
William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing Thursday that "emerging results" from new research suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air.
But, he said, there was no consideration of internal use of disinfectants.
Top Democrats slammed Trump for the comment.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the president and other Republicans "reject science" and said Trump must be disregarding the advice of his medical experts.
And Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., a member of House Democratic leadership, tweeted Friday morning that "something is very wrong" with the president.
Please don’t poison yourself because Donald Trump thinks it could be a good idea.— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 24, 2020
The President suggested injecting Lysol into the human body to treat #COVID19.
Something is very wrong with this guy.
No really.
We should be very concerned.
Intervention? pic.twitter.com/hOyy8S0wSi— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) April 24, 2020
At the briefing, Trump also suggested that people could be treated with "ultraviolet or just a very powerful light" to kill the virus after Bryan's presentation showed that the virus might not live as long in warmer and more humid temperatures.
Trump then also mentioned an "injection" of "disinfectant" to deter the virus.
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"I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute," the president said. "And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."
Trump did not specify the kind of disinfectant.
Medical professionals were quick to dispute Trump's claims as "irresponsible" and "dangerous."
“This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it’s dangerous," said Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist, global health policy expert and an NBC News and MSNBC contributor.
"It’s a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves," he added.
Maryland's Emergency Management Agency tweeted a warning Friday not to administer disinfectants into the body, saying it had received several calls about use of the products and COVID-19.
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 White House claimed Friday morning that the media was mischaracterizing Trump's comments regarding coronavirus treatment.
"President Trump has repeatedly said that Americans should consult with medical doctors regarding coronavirus treatment, a point that he emphasized again during yesterday’s briefing," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement. "Leave it to the media to irresponsibly take President Trump out of context and run with negative headlines."
Lauren Egan is a reporter for NBC News based in Washington.
The EPA is reminding people to use disinfectant only on surfaces
The agency issued the update shortly before the president suggested Thursday that it might be helpful to inject disinfectant to combat the coronavirus.
SHE IS ENABLING HIM TO KILL AMERICANS
The Environmental Protection Agency also is reminding people to only use disinfectant on surfaces.
In a statement issued several hours before Trump spoke, the EPA said, "Never apply the product to yourself or others. Do not ingest disinfectant products."
The Trump administration's Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, also warned Americans, urging people to "always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/ medication to yourself or a loved one.
A reminder to all Americans- PLEASE always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/ medication to yourself or a loved one.
Your safety is paramount, and doctors and nurses are have years of training to recommend what’s safe and effective.— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) April 24, 2020
William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing Thursday that "emerging results" from new research suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air.
But, he said, there was no consideration of internal use of disinfectants.
Top Democrats slammed Trump for the comment.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the president and other Republicans "reject science" and said Trump must be disregarding the advice of his medical experts.
And Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., a member of House Democratic leadership, tweeted Friday morning that "something is very wrong" with the president.
Please don’t poison yourself because Donald Trump thinks it could be a good idea.— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 24, 2020
The President suggested injecting Lysol into the human body to treat #COVID19.
Something is very wrong with this guy.
No really.
We should be very concerned.
Intervention? pic.twitter.com/hOyy8S0wSi— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) April 24, 2020
At the briefing, Trump also suggested that people could be treated with "ultraviolet or just a very powerful light" to kill the virus after Bryan's presentation showed that the virus might not live as long in warmer and more humid temperatures.
Trump then also mentioned an "injection" of "disinfectant" to deter the virus.
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"I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute," the president said. "And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."
Trump did not specify the kind of disinfectant.
Medical professionals were quick to dispute Trump's claims as "irresponsible" and "dangerous."
“This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it’s dangerous," said Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist, global health policy expert and an NBC News and MSNBC contributor.
"It’s a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves," he added.
Maryland's Emergency Management Agency tweeted a warning Friday not to administer disinfectants into the body, saying it had received several calls about use of the products and COVID-19.
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 White House claimed Friday morning that the media was mischaracterizing Trump's comments regarding coronavirus treatment.
"President Trump has repeatedly said that Americans should consult with medical doctors regarding coronavirus treatment, a point that he emphasized again during yesterday’s briefing," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement. "Leave it to the media to irresponsibly take President Trump out of context and run with negative headlines."
Lauren Egan is a reporter for NBC News based in Washington.
The EPA is reminding people to use disinfectant only on surfaces
The agency issued the update shortly before the president suggested Thursday that it might be helpful to inject disinfectant to combat the coronavirus.
Disinfectant products on a store shelf. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
April 24, 2020, By Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency is reminding people to only use disinfectant on surfaces.
The agency issued the update shortly before President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that it might be helpful to inject disinfectant to combat the coronavirus.
The EPA says, “Never apply the product to yourself or others. Do not ingest disinfectant products.”
William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing on Thursday that “emerging results” from new research suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air.
But he said there was no consideration of internal use of disinfectants
VIDEO Trump suggests light and disinfectant treatments for coronavirus
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency is reminding people to only use disinfectant on surfaces.
The agency issued the update shortly before President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that it might be helpful to inject disinfectant to combat the coronavirus.
The EPA says, “Never apply the product to yourself or others. Do not ingest disinfectant products.”
William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing on Thursday that “emerging results” from new research suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air.
But he said there was no consideration of internal use of disinfectants
VIDEO Trump suggests light and disinfectant treatments for coronavirus
APRIL 24, 2020 02:34
Without specifying the kind of disinfectant, Trump said after Bryan's presentation, "I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."
Medical professionals, including Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist, global health policy expert and an NBC News and MSNBC contributor. were quick to challenge the president's "improper health messaging."
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“This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it’s dangerous," said Gupta. "It’s a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves."
The maker of Lysol also issued a statement warning against any internal use of the cleaning product.
"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)," said a spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser, the United Kingdom-based owner of Lysol, in a statement to NBC News.
The president has repeatedly touted unproven treatments during the daily briefings on COVID-19, the disease associated with the coronavirus. For instance, he has touted hydroxychloroquine as a potential "game changer," but health officials have strongly cautioned against it.
Associated Press
Without specifying the kind of disinfectant, Trump said after Bryan's presentation, "I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."
Medical professionals, including Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist, global health policy expert and an NBC News and MSNBC contributor. were quick to challenge the president's "improper health messaging."
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VIDEOGermany starts easing coronavirus restrictions as infection rate slows
“This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it’s dangerous," said Gupta. "It’s a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves."
The maker of Lysol also issued a statement warning against any internal use of the cleaning product.
"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)," said a spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser, the United Kingdom-based owner of Lysol, in a statement to NBC News.
The president has repeatedly touted unproven treatments during the daily briefings on COVID-19, the disease associated with the coronavirus. For instance, he has touted hydroxychloroquine as a potential "game changer," but health officials have strongly cautioned against it.
Associated Press
