Where is Dr Deborah Birx? Taskforce member missing from briefings after viral reaction to Trump's disinfectant comment
Dr Deborah Birx, a member of the Coronavirus Task Force, was missing in action during the White House Friday's press briefing.
Earlier on Thursday, a video of Dr Birx's reaction made headlines. Cameras caught Dr Birx looking shocked and dejected as she heard President Donald Trump tout the idea of exploring disinfectants and bleach to knock out the virus.
"And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning? Because you see, it gets on the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it'd be interesting to check that. So that you're going to have to use medical doctors, but it sounds — it sounds interesting to me," Trump said during his Thrusday briefing at the White House.
His idea seems to have stemmed from a statement made by a Homeland Security official who mentioned the ability of disinfectants like bleach to kill the coronavirus—but on surfaces.
Defending Trump, Dr Birx spoke with Fox News Friday morning, explaining that the President likes to think out loud. “When he gets new information, he likes to talk that through out loud. And have that dialogue. And so that’s what dialogue he was having. I think he just saw the information at the time, immediately before the press conference, and he was still digesting the information," she said in the interview.
Trump's suggestion triggered a barrage of criticisms, with many experts highlighting the dangers of ingesting disinfectants.
"This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible, and it is dangerous," Dr Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert told NBC News. "It is a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves," he added.
Earlier on Friday, Trump said he was being sarcastic while floating the idea. "I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen," he said during a bill signing at the Oval Office.
During Friday's coronavirus briefing, Trump was seen with the US Food and Drug Administrator Stephen Hahn and Vice President Mike Pence. The trio ended the briefing after 22 minutes without taking any questions from reporters.
During the disastrous Thursday briefing, Trump had also floated another idea: using sunlight as a treatment option. Responding to Trump's remarks, Dr Birx replied: "Not as a treatment... I mean, certainly, fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But not as... I've not seen heat or..." But Trump cut her off, saying, "I think it's a great thing to look at".
One Trump adviser told CNN, "I wanted to hide. It was a tough moment to watch."
Responding to the idea of ingesting disinfectants, Dr Hahn advised against its use during a CNN Town Hall on Thursday evening. He said: "I certainly would not recommend the internal ingestion of a disinfectant."