KUALA LUMPUR: Special advisor to the prime minister (public health) Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood is calling on all universities and companies who have been spraying people with disinfectant products to stop doing so immediately.
She said the practice is against the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and that it could cause harm to those sprayed with the chemical products.
“First rule is that above all do no harm. This is not recommended and is against WHO guidelines. Stop this please before you hurt and harm anyone!
“Dear Universities and Companies practicing spraying people. STOP. Please read this who.int/emergencies/di… @utm_my @MinistryofEd,” she posted on her Twitter account yesterday.
Dr Jemilah wrote this while sharing a news report saying Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) was planning to mass-produce its disinfection chamber that they came up with to help frontliners fight the Covid-19 virus.
In the report, UTM said that the disinfectant used can kill 99.9 per cent of germs and each person is required to stay inside the chamber for about 20 seconds.
According to WHO, via its social media platforms, spraying alcohol or chlorine all over a person’s body cannot stop the virus from spreading.
“Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body.
“Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes such as eyes and mouth,” a posting on WHO’s Facebook page read.