Donald Trump takes stock of the coronavirus from the White House gardens on April 27, 2020. – Alex Brandon / AP / SIPA
“This is a reminder that in no case should disinfectant be administered into the body by injection, ingestion or any other route. In an extraordinary context, this is the message that the emergency center of the state of Maryland had to publish on his account Twitter four days ago.
And it’s not the only one in this case, several poison control centers across the United States have reported an increase in calls after the president Donald Trump suggested that the disinfectant injection could help fight coronavirus. Although the health authorities immediately alerted to the danger of using this method, the calls continued.
“Just to see what was going to happen”
According to ABC, more than 100 calls were made to the Maryland emergency center regarding inquiries about the possible effectiveness of ingesting disinfectant to control coronavirus. In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s suggestion, New York City said that its poison control center had received more calls than normal. During the day,
thirty calls were received. Among them, 9 cases concerned exposure to hydroalcoholic gel, 10 cases concerned bleach and 11 related to other household products.
Same situation in Illinois which also saw a rising calls passed to his poison control center. “There has been a significant increase in calls due to exposure to cleaning products,” said the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health on April 25, urging residents not to ingest Covid treatment. -19 chemicals.
Since Donald Trump’s speculation therefore, public health agencies, medical experts and at least one manufacturer of hydroalcoholic gel have communicated in mass on the danger of ingesting disinfectants and household cleaners. Faced with this broad condemnation from the medical community, some of whom have qualified this suggestion “Irresponsible” and “dangerous”, President
said last Friday that his remark was just sarcasm. “I was asking a sarcastic question to journalists like you, just to see what was going to happen. “
Increase since January
Although Donald’s remarks have certainly contributed to the increase in calls to poison control centers, the reported cases of exposure and ingestion of disinfectants were already increasing before the president’s intervention. A report released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that exposure to cleaning products has increased by 20% from January to March 2020 compared to the same period last year .
The CDC notes that the surge in calls began in early March but warns that it is not possible to prove a “definite link between the exposures and the COVID-19 cleanup efforts”.
“Although a causal association could not be demonstrated, the context of these exposures corresponded to increased media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, to reports of a shortage of cleaning products among consumers and at the start of containment, “says The report.
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