The Disinfectant Controversy - Everyone was wrong
At a Coronavirus briefing, an Administration medical professional reviewed the results of studies of what kills the virus and what allows it to grow. The President then asked some poorly worded questions of the speaker. These were misinterpreted by the Media and, as usual, it led some typically hateful remarks by celebrities. Unfortunately, President Trump and his press people missed an opportunity with their response.
The presentation showed that Coronavirus does well in the dark and cold and not well in sunlight, due to ultraviolet rays, or humidity. The research also showed that while the Coronavirus can live on surfaces for a long while, disinfectants can kill the Coronavirus quickly.
At the end of the presentation, the President asked the speaker whether we can use the outcome of this study to evaluate the use of ultraviolet light internally within people suffering from the virus - because the virus damages the lungs - and whether there is a way to "disinfect" people with the virus. These were questions directed to a professional essentially asking if their research can be used for some out of the box thinking to try to find ways to save lives. Unfortunately, the questions were not artfully worded.
Oh the humanity!
What followed were many ludicrous articles claiming President Trump suggested people inject Lysol into their veins (he did not) and claiming there was a spike in people ingesting disinfectants (there was no spike). Of course, our beloved media never lets the truth get in the way of a good story.
This was followed by celebrities showing how tolerant and loving they are (not) by suggesting Trump supporters should drink disinfectants and die. I'd like these folks to read what they are saying and explain to me why they think the Trump supporters are the bigots and haters.
Unfortunately, as mentioned at the outset, President Trump and his folks missed an opportunity here with some weak responses. For example, the President said he was being sarcastic. Fox News' Brett Baer said it did not sound that way and Mr. Baer is right. I saw that portion of the briefing and heard what the President said and it was not intended to be sarcastic. The President's press staff offered equally weak explanations.
All of those responses missed a huge opportunity to say the President was challenging people to find ways to save lives and, in each case, he has been proven right to do so.
First, at one of the early briefings the President offered comments saying essentially that when the temperatures go up, the virus will go down. Media and celebrities denied and derided that comment. Now we know what the President said is true - a scientific study proves the virus does not do well in sunlight, or in warmer humid weather.
Second, the lesser discussed part of the President's questions was the use of ultraviolet light inside people. The President was spot on with his question. A medical firm, Aytu Bioscience, was already approved by the FDA for testing the use of ultraviolet light internally in humans. That test involves other diseases because it was started before the current pandemic. Someone on the President's team should have checked with FDA and others to see how feasible this was and, upon learning there was such a study, the response should have been to say the President was right to challenge his team to think outside the box and investigate whether ultraviolet can be used in the lungs to fight Coronavirus and save lives.
Third, the disinfectant issue. I was watching that briefing and what I heard the President asking, albeit not very artfully, was whether we can use what was learned to find a way to "disinfect" people - clean the virus out of them. That should have been the President and his press team's response - President Trump was challenging his team to think outside the box and find ways to save lives, and what's wrong with that?
Had that been their response, then today President Trump could be saying to the media - I told you so. Because today, Gilead reported that it's drug, remdesivir, is showing promise as a treatment for Coronavirus. Remdesivir is injected into humans - which is exactly what the President was suggesting. Find a way to inject something into people to fight the virus.
But the President and his team missed those opportunities. President Trump is faced with a media that shows no interest in being fair, a media that explains away the gaffes of Joe Biden but made no effort to recognize that the President, in a clumsy way, was asking medical professionals to try to think outside the box and find ways to save lives. Unfortunately, for a group that likes to fight back, President Trump and his press team instead went into a defensive shell and missed a huge opportunity to emphasize a strength of President Trump - that he frequently challenges people in Government to think outside the box and find ways to do things that benefit the American people.
The presentation showed that Coronavirus does well in the dark and cold and not well in sunlight, due to ultraviolet rays, or humidity. The research also showed that while the Coronavirus can live on surfaces for a long while, disinfectants can kill the Coronavirus quickly.
At the end of the presentation, the President asked the speaker whether we can use the outcome of this study to evaluate the use of ultraviolet light internally within people suffering from the virus - because the virus damages the lungs - and whether there is a way to "disinfect" people with the virus. These were questions directed to a professional essentially asking if their research can be used for some out of the box thinking to try to find ways to save lives. Unfortunately, the questions were not artfully worded.
Oh the humanity!
What followed were many ludicrous articles claiming President Trump suggested people inject Lysol into their veins (he did not) and claiming there was a spike in people ingesting disinfectants (there was no spike). Of course, our beloved media never lets the truth get in the way of a good story.
This was followed by celebrities showing how tolerant and loving they are (not) by suggesting Trump supporters should drink disinfectants and die. I'd like these folks to read what they are saying and explain to me why they think the Trump supporters are the bigots and haters.
Unfortunately, as mentioned at the outset, President Trump and his folks missed an opportunity here with some weak responses. For example, the President said he was being sarcastic. Fox News' Brett Baer said it did not sound that way and Mr. Baer is right. I saw that portion of the briefing and heard what the President said and it was not intended to be sarcastic. The President's press staff offered equally weak explanations.
All of those responses missed a huge opportunity to say the President was challenging people to find ways to save lives and, in each case, he has been proven right to do so.
First, at one of the early briefings the President offered comments saying essentially that when the temperatures go up, the virus will go down. Media and celebrities denied and derided that comment. Now we know what the President said is true - a scientific study proves the virus does not do well in sunlight, or in warmer humid weather.
Second, the lesser discussed part of the President's questions was the use of ultraviolet light inside people. The President was spot on with his question. A medical firm, Aytu Bioscience, was already approved by the FDA for testing the use of ultraviolet light internally in humans. That test involves other diseases because it was started before the current pandemic. Someone on the President's team should have checked with FDA and others to see how feasible this was and, upon learning there was such a study, the response should have been to say the President was right to challenge his team to think outside the box and investigate whether ultraviolet can be used in the lungs to fight Coronavirus and save lives.
Third, the disinfectant issue. I was watching that briefing and what I heard the President asking, albeit not very artfully, was whether we can use what was learned to find a way to "disinfect" people - clean the virus out of them. That should have been the President and his press team's response - President Trump was challenging his team to think outside the box and find ways to save lives, and what's wrong with that?
Had that been their response, then today President Trump could be saying to the media - I told you so. Because today, Gilead reported that it's drug, remdesivir, is showing promise as a treatment for Coronavirus. Remdesivir is injected into humans - which is exactly what the President was suggesting. Find a way to inject something into people to fight the virus.
But the President and his team missed those opportunities. President Trump is faced with a media that shows no interest in being fair, a media that explains away the gaffes of Joe Biden but made no effort to recognize that the President, in a clumsy way, was asking medical professionals to try to think outside the box and find ways to save lives. Unfortunately, for a group that likes to fight back, President Trump and his press team instead went into a defensive shell and missed a huge opportunity to emphasize a strength of President Trump - that he frequently challenges people in Government to think outside the box and find ways to do things that benefit the American people.
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