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The company that makes Dettol has urged people not to try injecting disinfectants to treat coronavirus after US president Donald Trump said it “would be interesting to check that”.
Manufacturer RB was forced to issue the extraordinary statement a day after the leader of the free world was accused of “actively endangering the public’s health” in his latest press briefing.
Referring to research that found isopropyl alcohol is more effective than bleach at killing the virus, Trump said: “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, by an injection inside or almost a cleaning? Is there a way we can do something like that by injection, inside, or almost a cleaning?”
RB, the company behind the Dettol and Lysol brands, issued a statement on Friday saying: “Due to recent speculation and social media activity, RB has been asked whether internal administration of disinfectants may be appropriate for investigation or use as a treatment for coronavirus.
“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.”
Senior US officials have already had to clarify that there were no plans to inject disinfectant into Americans, and in the UK Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson said, “in relation to disinfectant”, the government is “certainly not aware that is anything that is being recommended”.
They added: “Our approach is driven by UK science and medical advice.”
The White House was also pitching “emerging” research on the benefits of sunlight and humidity in diminishing the threat of coronavirus which Trump said had a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air.
When asked if it was dangerous to make people think they would be safe by going outside in the heat, considering so many people have died in Florida, the president said he was “here to present ideas, because we want ideas to get rid of this thing”.
He added: “And if heat is good, and if sunlight is good, that’s a great thing as far as I’m concerned.”
Trump has made a number of controversial recommendations in the fight against coronavirus – an old malaria drug he touted as a “game changer” was this week found to provide no benefit and a potentially higher risk of death for patients.