COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW – 27/04/2020
Jon Allsop
IT’S AN OLD JOURNALISM CLICHÉ that sunlight is the best disinfectant, but it’s new to have to state that neither should be ingested. As you will doubtless have heard by now, on Thursday, President Trump wondered aloud, in the White House briefing room, about the potential medical effectiveness of injecting both sunlight and disinfectant (“it does a tremendous number on the lungs”) as cures for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The mixed-message walkback—a specialty under this administration—followed. Kayleigh McEnany, the new White House press secretary, accused the media of “irresponsibly” taking Trump’s words out of context. Trump himself then cast his comments as sarcasm—he was trolling reporters, he said, “just to see what would happen.” Many observers took the remarks very seriously. Staffers for a state emergency hotline in Maryland said they fielded more than 100 calls from members of the public asking if disinfectant was actually a coronavirus cure. Several states issued warnings against injecting it, as did the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. “NEVER INGEST BLEACH,” Domestos, a British cleaning-products manufacturer, tweeted. “NEVER INHALE BLEACH.” So now you know.