Hillary Clinton on Friday knocked President Trump’s controversial comments about disinfectant possibly being used to treat coronavirus patients, warning people not to poison themselves based on the president’s statement.
“Please don’t poison yourself because Donald Trump thinks it could be a good idea,” the former secretary of State wrote on Twitter.
The dig from the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee comes as Trump faces criticism from medical professionals for his remarks.
During a White House briefing on Thursday, Trump suggested medical experts should study exposing the human body to heat and light as a treatment for coronavirus. He also asked if there was a way to use disinfectants on the body “by injection inside or almost a cleaning.”
“Maybe you can, maybe you can’t … I’m not a doctor. But I’m, like, a person that has a good you-know-what,” Trump said, pointing to his head.
The president’s comments triggered Lysol manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser to issue a rare statement that “under no circumstance” should its products be administered into the human body or be used as a treatment for the coronavirus.
The company, which also sells Dettol in the United Kingdom, shared in a statement on its website that “due to recent speculation and social media activity,” they had “been asked whether internal administration of disinfectants may be appropriate for investigation or use as a treatment for coronavirus.”
“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,” the company said Friday.
The hashtag “#DontDrinkBleach” began trending across the United States on Friday afternoon as Twitter users reacted to Trump’s comments.