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HomeIndiaDettol-maker says no disinfectant should be ingested to cure Covid-19, after Trump...

Dettol-maker says no disinfectant should be ingested to cure Covid-19, after Trump comment

Reckitt Benckiser’s statement came a day after Donald Trump suggested the possibility of treating Covid-19 by injecting disinfectant into a infected person.

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New Delhi: British firm Reckitt Benckiser, which owns Lysol and Dettol, issued a statement Friday saying “under no circumstances” should its products be administered into the human body, a day after US President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of treating Covid-19 by injecting disinfectants into a infected person.

The company said all its products must be used according to their guidelines.

“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. As with all products, our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines,” the statement read.

Reckitt Benckiser’s statement came after Trump’s suggestion led to an outcry, especially by the medical community which lambasted the US President for suggesting ingestion of hazardous substances.

Dr Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist, has been quoted as saying: “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 utilise when they want to kill themselves.”

Many also took to Twitter to express shock at the suggestion.

Dr Eugene Gu, a Stanford-based doctor, whose laboratory is involved in coronavirus testing, also called Trump “wrong and irresponsible” for his comments.


Also read: ‘Ungliyon ko saaf corona’ — Dettol, Lifebuoy’s hand wash challenge gets record TikTok views


‘Disinfectant can knock virus out in a minute’

President Trump’s remarks came after William Bryan, acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, outlined the findings of a government research that indicated coronavirus appeared to weaken quickly when exposed to sunlight and heat.

The study also said that bleach may kill the virus present in saliva or respiratory fluids.

Following this, Trump suggested that injecting disinfectant and exposure to UV rays could treat people infected with Covid-19.

“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?” the US President said.

Responding to his statement, Bryan, however, clarified that health officials weren’t considering any such treatment.


Also read: CNN anchor Chris Cuomo’s wife says she bathed in bleach to combat Covid-19, sparks row


 

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