Misleading: Dettol tested its products on the novel coronavirus before global outbreaks.

By: Annie Priya
May 12 2020

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An official clarification by the Dettol company regarding the coronavirus and the information by the World Health Organisation disapproves the claim.An image of a Dettol label posted in social media claiming that product’s maker may have been aware of the novel coronavirus before it broke out in China in December 2019 is widely circulated. In a Facebook post, Dettol a product of Reckitt Benckiser company has denied the claim regarding coronavirus, saying that coronavirus is a general term for a family of viruses that includes viruses like the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). It also adds that it had not yet tested its products on the novel coronavirus. World Health Organisation website also explains that coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. Hence, it is concluded that Dettol’s manufacturer has not tested its products against the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.