Buzz
The incident took place during a press conference, where Bill Bryan, a government official, shared laboratory findings on the effectiveness of temperature, humidity, ultraviolet light, bleach, and rubbing alcohol in eliminating the coronavirus. Bryan, with a background in military logistics, currently leads the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology division.
Bryan shared these results, quoting directly from the White House transcript:
Bryan presented findings like the following (quotes taken from the official White House transcript):
We are also testing common disinfectants. Bleach and isopropyl alcohol have been tested on the virus, especially in saliva or respiratory fluids. Bleach eliminates the virus within five minutes, while isopropyl alcohol works in 30 seconds, with no need for manipulation or rubbing—just spraying it on and leaving it. Rubbing it speeds up the process. We’re also studying other disinfectants, with a focus on how they affect the COVID-19 virus in saliva.
The phrase 'in saliva' refers to examining the virus in saliva droplets on surfaces or in aerosols, not inside the human body. Bryan also discussed the effects of temperature, humidity, and ultraviolet radiation:
The virus dies most quickly when exposed to direct sunlight under specific conditions. Looking at the chart, in a room with temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees and 20% humidity, the virus lasts about an hour. However, outside, this drops to just a minute and a half when hit with UV rays, a significant difference.
Understanding how long the virus survives on various surfaces and how to affect its survival is crucial. During a Q&A with epidemiologist and infection preventionist Saskia Popescu, many questions were raised about how much concern we should have regarding the virus on surfaces and in the air. The same issue is also addressed in the DHS’s Science & Technology Master Questions List.
While experiments help answer specific questions, they only offer narrow insights. For example, we've confirmed that bleach (in a certain formulation, applied correctly) can reduce the virus on surfaces. However, this doesn’t mean we can generalize that 'bleach kills the coronavirus' in all situations—such as, say, the human body.
Sure, strange things can occur in our bodies, but if you want to know about potential medical treatments, it’s best to ask actual scientists. The president was simply speculating. Bryan, who isn’t a microbiologist or a doctor, didn’t dismiss the idea outright. It’s unclear if that’s because he didn’t fully grasp Trump’s question or because he was caught off guard and didn’t know how to respond.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. So I asked Bill a question that might be on the minds of some of you, especially those deeply involved in this field, which I find fascinating. Suppose we use a strong dose of ultraviolet light or some other potent light source, and I think you mentioned it hasn't been tested yet, but that you're going to look into it. Then I wondered if we could somehow bring that light inside the body, either through the skin or another method, and you said you'd test that as well. It sounds intriguing.
ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BRYAN: We'll involve the right experts who can address that.
THE PRESIDENT: Right. Then I saw that the disinfectant wipes out the virus in just one minute. Is there a way we could do something similar, like injecting it or using it as a sort of internal cleaning? You know, the virus affects the lungs a lot, so it would be interesting to test that. But of course, medical professionals would need to handle that. Still, it sounds fascinating to me.
So, we’ll see. But the idea of light killing the virus in a minute—well, that’s quite powerful.
We are currently living through a pandemic, and fear and desperation are widespread. Many of us feel utterly powerless over our daily health and circumstances. We don’t know exactly where the virus is or how risky each of our actions and potential exposures might be. Even the doctors treating COVID-19 are still working to understand its symptoms fully and determine the best way to treat it. Things are uncertain and unfamiliar, and we’ve been advised that the best we can do is stay home and wash our hands.
This situation creates the perfect conditions for desperate individuals to take drastic actions in a bid to regain some control. We saw with chloroquine that when the President suggests a drug as promising, large numbers of people will go to great lengths to acquire it, even if it’s a prescription drug. Some even poisoned themselves, while patients already taking the drug for other conditions were warned that shortages might force them to stop.
So when the President speculates about treatments that are even easier for people to try at home—like bleach, alcohol, or UV light—it seems like a recipe for disaster. I heard a story weeks ago about someone gargling with rubbing alcohol. More recently, USA Today reported that Christine Cuomo bathed in diluted bleach while recovering from COVID-19. (While bleach baths are sometimes recommended for eczema, they aren’t as harmful as they might sound, but you should always consult a qualified doctor before using any household chemicals on yourself.)
The reporters at the briefing rightly expressed skepticism:
Q: But I — just, can I ask about — the President mentioned the idea of cleaners, like bleach and isopropyl alcohol. There’s no scenario in which that could be injected into a person, is there? I mean —
ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BRYAN: No, I’m here to discuss the findings from our study. This is not something we would carry out in our lab. So—
THE PRESIDENT: It wouldn’t be through injection. We’re talking about a cleaning or sterilization process for an area. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. But it certainly has a significant effect if applied to a stationary object.
Note that moments earlier, the president had mentioned 'by injection inside.' Still, does this imply that people will now consider applying bleach or alcohol to their skin? (Please don’t do this.)
The experiments regarding heat, humidity, and ultraviolet light also have the potential for similar misinterpretation. Scientifically, it’s valuable to understand if a hot, humid, sunny surface is less hospitable to the virus than one that is cold or indoors. This data could tell us if playgrounds are relatively safer. It might also suggest that, perhaps, outdoor birthday parties in the summer could be slightly less risky than indoor gatherings.
However, this plays into an existing narrative that summer weather might somehow offer protection from the pandemic. (There’s no reason to believe this will happen.) The president returned to this idea, correctly clarifying that he was only speaking about surfaces. That’s fine. But in the context of an elected official addressing a public desperate for optimism, it sure sounds like he’s setting people up to believe that summer will bring safety, and treatments involving heat, light, and disinfectants might soon be available.
Q: Mr. President, after seeing the presentation about heat and humidity, do you think it’s dangerous to suggest that people might be safe by going outside in the heat, especially considering the high death toll in Florida and the virus outbreaks in hot and humid places like Singapore?
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, here we go.
Q: — are humid?
THE PRESIDENT: Here we go. The new headline is: 'Trump Tells People to Go Outside. That’s Dangerous.' Here we go. Same old group. Are you ready? I hope people enjoy the sun. If it has an effect, great. I’ve been hearing this — it’s not really new. There’s been this nice rumor — that if you go outside in the sun, or experience heat, it could help with other viruses.
But now we’re hearing it from one of the world’s top laboratories. I have to say, it covers much more than just this. This is probably an easy one, relatively speaking, for you.
I would suggest consulting with medical professionals to explore whether there’s any possibility of using light and heat as a treatment. You know — maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. Again, I’m not a doctor, but I’m someone who has a good sense of things.
Q: But, sir, you’re the President.
THE PRESIDENT: Deborah, have you ever heard of heat and light being effective against certain viruses? Does this apply to this virus?
DR. BIRX: Not as a treatment. Of course, fever is a response —
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
DR. BIRX: — is beneficial. A fever helps the body react. However, I have not observed any heat or (inaudible).
THE PRESIDENT: I believe it's a valuable point to consider. I mean, you know. Okay?
Q: With all due respect, sir, you're the President. People watching these briefings expect to receive guidance and clarity on what actions to take.
THE PRESIDENT: Hey — hey, Phil.
Q: They're not looking for hearsay.
THE PRESIDENT: Hey, Phil. I’m the President and you’re spreading falsehoods. And you know what I’ll say to you? I'll say it politely. I know you well.
Q: Why do you make that claim?
THE PRESIDENT: I know you well.
Because I’m familiar with the person; I’ve seen his writings. He’s a complete fraud.
Q: He’s a reputable reporter.
THE PRESIDENT: Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready? This is merely a suggestion from a highly intelligent individual, potentially brilliant, who has conducted experiments. He discusses sunlight, he talks about heat, and the data speaks for itself. That’s all I have to say. I’m simply here to showcase talent and ideas, because we want solutions to tackle this issue. If heat and sunlight are beneficial, then that’s a positive step, in my view.
It’s irresponsible to speculate on potential treatments and give people the impression that they could be safe, only to later disclaim any accountability with excuses or disclaimers.
Just to clarify:
Lysol has officially issued a statement urging people not to apply their products to the human body.
Doctors strongly advise against drinking bleach.
No UV light treatments are available, nor do I believe any are being developed at this time.
Please take care and stay safe.
