Doctors decry Trump’s ideas
2020.05.04
US President Donald Trump’s ‘musings’ on whether injecting disinfectants into people might treat Covid-19 horrified medical professionals.
An international chorus of doctors and health experts urged people not to drink or inject disinfectant after Trump suggested that scientists should investigate inserting ultraviolet light or disinfectant into the bodies of people infected with the coronavirus.
“Is there a way we can do something like that by injection, inside, or almost a cleaning?” Trump asked at his daily media briefing on 23 April, “It would be interesting to check that.”
He said the next day that he was just being sarcastic, but people do not think so, noting his remarks were directed at doctors in the room who serve on his coronavirus task force.
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she doubted that the Republican president was being sarcastic. “It seemed like he was speaking from his usual great authority on every subject,” she said.
American Medical Association President Patrice Harris said, “Rest assured when we eventually find a treatment for or vaccine against Covid-19, it will not be in the cleaning supplies aisle.”
There were signs that some Americans were preparing to act on Trump’s comments when emergency lines got flooded with calls asking about the use of bleach to treat Covid-19.
Trump’s suggestion unleashed a torrent of ridicule online, with one comedian miming the action of injecting bleach into her veins like a drug.
(This article is published on Junior Standard on 4 May 2020)
Full video and transcript of Trump’s media briefing
www.bit.ly/2VKAF1j
Trump’s disinfectant comments could be tipping point
