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President Donald Trump suggested in a live press briefing Thursday that scientists look into a controversial COVID-19 cure: injecting disinfectant into infected people.
During the April 23 White House press briefing, Trump said, “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? Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
Though Trump didn’t directly suggest any type of bleach injection as a COVID-19 cure, doctors and epidemiologists across the world quickly condemned his suggestion.
Lysol issued an official statement asking people not to ingest Lysol products, warning that doing so could cause poisoning or even be fatal.
But what happens to the body if someone injects or ingests a disinfectant like bleach or Lysol?
Here’s what you need to know:
Injecting Bleach or Other Disinfectants Can Be Fatal, Doctors Warn
GettyU.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus.
There’s a reason why cleaning supplies have warning labels on them. Many doctors have warned people against ingesting any amount of any type of cleaning product or disinfectant, pointing out that they could cause poisoning or even be fatal.
The makers of Lysol released the following statement:
Due to recent speculation and social media activity, RB (the makers of Lysol and Dettol) has been asked whether internal administration of disinfectants may be appropriate for investigation or use as a treatment for coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
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). As with all products, our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information.
Other experts have backed up this recommendation. Vin Gupta, a global-health policy expert, 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 utilize when they want to kill themselves.”
According to the Missouri Poison Center, a person can experience painful and dangerous symptoms if they ingest even a small amount of bleach. Symptoms include throat irritation, nausea, vomiting and an upset stomach.
BBC notes that ingesting disinfectants wouldn’t even help get rid of a COVID-19 infection, to begin with.
“Crucially, [the success of disinfectants against coronavirus is] only about infected objects and surfaces – not about what happens once the virus is inside your body,” the global news network explains. “One of the main ways of catching the virus is by breathing in droplets expelled by an infected person, mainly by sneezing and coughing. The virus very quickly begins to multiply and spread, eventually reaching the lungs.”
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