Media caption Donald Trump criticized Georgia’s governor for reopening “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?
“So it’d be interesting to check that. “
Pointing to his head, Mr Trump went on:” I’m not a doctor. But I’m, like, a person that has a good you-know-what. “
He turned again to Dr Birx and asked if she had ever heard of using “the heat and the light” to treat coronavirus.
“Not as a treatment,” Dr Birx said. “I mean, certainly, fever is a good thing, when You have a fever it helps your body respond. But I’ve not seen heat or light. “
” I think it’s a great thing to look at, “Mr Trump said.
A journalist at the briefing questioned whether Mr Trump’s off-the-cuff remarks could spread dangerous disinformation to Americans.
Doctors warned the president’s idea could have fatal results.
Pulmonologist Dr Vin Gupta told NBC News : “This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it’s dangerous.
” It’s a common method that people use when they want to kill themselves. “
Kashif Mahmood, a doctor in Charleston, West Virginia, Tweet : “As a physician, I can’t recommend injecting disinfectant into the lungs or using UV radiation inside the body to treat COVID – .
“Don’t take medical advice from Trump.”
John Balmes, a pulmonologist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, warned that even breathing fumes from bleach could cause severe health problems.
He told Bloomberg News : “Inhaling chlorine bleach would be absolutely the worst thing for the lungs. The airway and lungs are not made to be exposed to even an aerosol of disinfectant.
“Not even a low dilution of bleach or isopropyl alcohol is safe. It’s a totally ridiculous concept. “
Mr Trump has previously hyped a malaria medication, hydroxycloroquine, as a possible treatment for coronavirus, though he has stopped touting that drug recently.
This week a study of coronavirus patients in a US government-run hospital for military veterans found more deaths among those treated with hydroxychloroquine than those treated with standard care.
Reacting to the president’s remarks on Thursday evening, Joe Biden, his likely Democratic challenger in November’s White House election, tweeted: “UV light? Injecting disinfectant? Here’s an idea, Mr President: more tests. Now. And protective equipment for actual medical professionals. “
What’s the US government advice?
Only this week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans to be careful with cleaning products as sales of household disinfectants soar amid the pandemic.
The US Food and Drug Administration has warned against ingesting disinfectants, citing the sale of bogus miracle. cures that contain bleach and purport to treat everything from autism to Aids and hepatitis.
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