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Moya Lothian-McLean
Apr 24, 2020
Every briefing Donald Trump does seems to result in a new, more bizarre soundbite.
Yesterday’s featured some of his most spurious and dangerous claims yet: firstly, that injecting disinfectant into the lungs could potentially treat coronavirus.
It should go without saying but: this is patently not true and could cause massive health complications.
He also said that exposing the body to UV light “either through the skin or in some other way” could help combat the virus.
This nonsense has also been deemed “extremely dangerous” because the only UV light that could potentially kill coronavirus bacteria would, according to one scientist, “blow apart your DNA”.
So please, don’t do either of these things.
But while the internet responded with alternating mirth, horror and disinfectant memes, the spotlight also fell on the reaction of Trump’s Coronavirus Response Coordinator, Dr Deborah Birx, who was appointed in March.
Dr Birx has already come in for some criticism for backing up Trump’s opposition to guidance given out by WHO.
And commentators have said they’re “disappointed” in her.
Now a video of her listening to Trump’s disinfectant misinformation is going viral in the wake of his comments.
It features some nifty camera work that seems to tell quite the story.
Dr Birx noticeably blinks and recoils when Trump starts talking about injecting disinfectant, pursing her lips and bowing her head.
It’s made quite a few people speculate as to just what was going on in her head.
For example: pondering what damage the moment might be doing to her own reputation.
One person said you could see Birx’s soul “leaving her body”.
Another simply paired it with a choice soundtrack.
But despite the amusement, there were also angry responses at Birx’s perceived inaction.
People wanted to know why she didn’t correct such terrible misinformation then and there as a "professional obligation".
She was accused of bottling a “moral choice”.
Questions abounded.
However, news anchor Joe Scarborough defended Birx, saying she and Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, were in an “impossible position”.
For the record, Birx’s response to the comments didn’t involve a direct rebuttal of the disinfectant advice at the time.
Instead she replied that she “hadn’t seen” heat or light used as a treatment when Trump asked her about if she’d heard of it being used.
"Not as a treatment,” Birx said.
"I mean, certainly, fever is a good thing, when you have a fever it helps your body respond. But I've not seen heat or light."
Trump remained undeterred saying it would be a “great thing to look at”.
Worrying.
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