In the wake of President Donald Trump’s comments during the White House coronavirus news briefing on Thursday, the CDC reminded Americans on Friday not to consume disinfectants.
The CDC tweeted a link and added, “Household cleaners and disinfectants can cause health problems when not used properly. Follow the instructions on the product label to ensure safe and effective use. Learn more about cleaning and disinfecting your home.”
Meanwhile, the Surgeon General encouraged the public to heed the advice of doctors.
“A reminder to all Americans- PLEASE always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/ medication to yourself or a loved one,” the Surgeon General tweeted. “Your safety is paramount, and doctors and nurses are have years of training to recommend what’s safe and effective.”
The Maryland Emergency Management Agency tweeted on Friday that it has received calls regarding the effectiveness of using disinfectants internally to treat the virus.
“This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route,” the Maryland Emergency Management Agency said.
At Thursday’s White House coronavirus briefing, William Bryan who is Homeland Security’s Under Secretary for Science and Technology, presented research that indicates that UV light, bleach and alcohol are effective at killing the virus on non-porous surfaces, like metal.
Then Trump followed with several questions about whether UV light and disinfectants would be effective on both skin and as injections.
“Then I see the disinfectant, where I see it knocks it out in a minute,” Trump said on Thursday. “Is there a way we can do something like that? By injection inside or almost a cleaning, as you see it gets into the lungs and it does a tremendous number.”
The comments set social media ablaze late Thursday and into Friday, both supporters defending and opponents mocking the president for his comments.
“When I was asking a sarcastic — a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside, but it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to a reporter.”
Justin Boggs is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @jjboggs or on Facebook .