Trump suggests injecting disinfectant to treat coronavirus

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During a COVID-19 briefing at the White House on Thursday, President Donald Trump suggested an “injection” of disinfectant, such as Lysol, into a person infected with the coronavirus as a means to kill the deadly contagion.

“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,” said Trump during the briefing, NBC News reports.

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Trump made these remarks after Bill Bryan, head of the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology division, touted research that shows the virus is weakened by humid temperatures.

Bryan said, “The virus dies quickest in sunlight,” leaving Trump to wonder whether you could bring the light “inside the body.”

Which led Trump to ask him, “So supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just a very powerful light — and I think you said that hasn’t been checked because of the testing … supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that, too.”

Bryan, as well as members of Trump’s coronavirus task force, appeared to shoot down the idea.

Immediately following the televised briefing, many hit up Twitter to mock the president’s “improper health messaging.”

Medical professionals stepped up to publicly rebuke the president’s suggestion.

“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. “It’s a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves.”

Gupta message to the public is lockstep with the makers of the popular cleaning agent.

Reckitt Benckiser, the British company that makes cleaning products like Lysol, issued a statement warning consumers against ingesting or injecting household cleaning products.

The statement reads:

Due to recent speculation and social media activity, RB (the makers of Lysol and Dettol) has been asked whether internal administration of disinfectants may be appropriate for investigation or use as a treatment for coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

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.

READ MORE: Drug touted by Trump leads to more coronavirus deaths, study reveals

As the world searches for a vaccine for the coronavirus, the public must remain vigilant in looking to medical professionals for guidance.