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For a while, US President Donald Trump was touting the benefits of hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment.

Experts begged that he stop doing so, until verified studies could be conducted to test the results, but Trump and Fox News continued.

Earlier in the week, the results of an analysis of its use in US veterans hospitals were released, which showed “no benefit”, with “more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care”.

It was far from an exhaustive test, but it has led to Trump, and Fox News, ceasing to punt the use of hydroxychloroquine.

Experts would have breathed a sigh of relief, until yesterday’s White House coronavirus task force briefing, reports the BBC:

Trump has been lambasted by the medical community after suggesting research into whether coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

He also appeared to propose irradiating patients’ bodies with UV light, an idea dismissed by a doctor at the briefing.

Another of his officials had moments earlier said sunlight and disinfectant were known to kill the infection.

Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested.

Watch the moment he talks about “injection inside” below. That’s from around the 40-second mark:

After that clip ended, he continued:

Pointing to his head, Mr Trump went on: “I’m not a doctor. But I’m, like, a person that has a good you-know-what.”

Let’s watch that play out, in the second video below, from the 20-second mark:

Get a load of Dr. Birx’s demeanor after Trump tells her, “I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there’s any way that you can apply light and heat to cure [coronavirus].” pic.twitter.com/TP0QoSzkYl

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 23, 2020

This really is downright dangerous, as many medical professionals have made clear:

Pulmonologist Dr Vin Gupta 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 utilise when they want to kill themselves.”

Kashif Mahmood, a doctor in Charleston, West Virginia, tweeted: “As a physician, I can’t recommend injecting disinfectant into the lungs or using UV radiation inside the body to treat Covid-19.

“Don’t take medical advice from Trump.”

John Balmes, a pulmonologist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, warned that even breathing fumes from bleach could cause severe health problems.

He told Bloomberg News: “Inhaling chlorine bleach would be absolutely the worst thing for the lungs. The airway and lungs are not made to be exposed to even an aerosol of disinfectant.

“Not even a low dilution of bleach or isopropyl alcohol is safe. It’s a totally ridiculous concept.”

I think I’ll listen to the experts over “like, a person that has a good you-know-what”.

One reporter asked Trump if it was a good idea to promote these unproven treatment methods.

See the second video below:

“I’m the president and you’re fake news” — Trump to @PhilipRucker after he asks him if it’s responsible to make all sorts of wacky and unproven suggestions about possible coronavirus treatments pic.twitter.com/8ag4izDrGj

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 23, 2020

“I’m the president and you’re fake news.”

Let’s be thankful that we have President Ramaphosa leading us.

[source:bbc]