Trump Makes 'Dangerous' Coronavirus Suggestion

He speculated about injecting disinfectants into body
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 24, 2020 4:11 AM CDT
Updated Apr 24, 2020 6:33 AM CDT
Doctors Warn Against Following Trump Suggestions
President Trump listens as Bill Bryan, head of science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2020, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Trump alarmed doctors Thursday with some unusual suggestions during the daily coronavirus briefing. After Homeland Security science chief William Bryan spoke about how heat, sunlight, and disinfectants can kill the virus outside the body, Trump asked about using them inside the body, the Hill reports. "Supposing we hit the body with a tremendous—whether it's ultraviolet or just very powerful light—and I think you said that hasn't been checked but you're going to test it," Trump said. "And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside of 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." Bryan later stressed that the findings did not mean "the summer is just going to totally kill the virus."

Trump also speculated about internal use of disinfectants after Bryan said substances like bleach could kill the virus on surfaces, the New York Times reports. "Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning?" Trump wondered. "Because, you see, it gets on the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it'd be interesting to check that." Doctors strongly warned the public against following Trump's suggestions. "This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it's dangerous," pulmonologist Dr. Vin Gupta tells NBC. "It's a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves." (The CDC says that since the pandemic began, there has been a surge in poisonings involving cleaning products.)

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