"How About Injecting Disinfectant to Treat COVID-19?"... Trump’s Bizarre Treatment Proposal

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked controversy by suggesting absurd treatment methods related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 23rd (local time), President Trump proposed at a White House COVID-19 task force briefing that ultraviolet light exposure and disinfectant injection be considered as treatments for COVID-19. It is reported that President Trump made these remarks after hearing research findings that COVID-19 does not survive long in hot and humid environments.

Bill Bryan, Director of the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security, explained at the briefing that if indoor temperatures are set to 70?75 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1?23.8 degrees Celsius) and humidity to 80%, the virus can only survive on surfaces for 2 minutes.

In response, President Trump said, "It seems we don’t know what happens if you expose the body to a tremendous amount of ultraviolet light or very powerful light," and added, "Try it out."

Additionally, President Trump showed interest in reports that bleach and disinfectants eliminated COVID-19 and urged experiments. He said, "Is there a way to inject (disinfectant) into the body?" and "It would be interesting to see what happens if it gets into the lungs."

Director Bryan refuted this by stating that injecting toxic disinfectants into the body is impossible. Bloomberg News also criticized the remarks, citing the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation that strong ultraviolet light exposure to the body can damage the skin.

In the U.S., photos of people putting capsule detergents in their mouths and other posts mocking President Trump’s remarks have been circulating on social media.

Medical professionals in the U.S. expressed concern regarding President Trump’s comments. They warned, "(President Trump’s remarks) are irresponsible and even dangerous."

Former Vice President Joe Biden, virtually confirmed as the Democratic presidential candidate, stated on Twitter, "Ultraviolet light? Injecting disinfectants? Mr. President, here’s the solution: more testing and providing protective equipment to healthcare workers."

The briefing was generally based on the view that COVID-19 might enter a lull phase in the summer, but President Trump also mentioned that social distancing guidelines could be extended. When asked if the guidelines might be extended until summer, President Trump replied, "We will extend them until we feel it is safe."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.