World over, people are confined to their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic, and some have now started noticing that an intriguing aspect about something found readily in many Indian households — Dettol, which is an antiseptics, claims to be effective against coronavirus on its packaging.
Dettol, which makes soaps, sanitizers, disinfectants etc., on its back packaging, says, “Proven effective against a wide range of germs including” and lists coronavirus as one of the many viruses that it is apparently effective against.
@discoverRB How do you know that #coronavirusindia Will be before it knowing...?? pic.twitter.com/FZVM4FWXIu
— Kamlesh Ameta (@KamleshAmeta8) February 7, 2020
If this is a new virus how is it #Dettol have had it covered for at least a year or is it a different virus? pic.twitter.com/cBN0xNxrQk
— Dave Southall (@DaveSouthall65) March 5, 2020
#coronapocolypse
— (@Abinaya52486629) March 16, 2020
How dettol know 6 months before about Corona virus is this part of plan for human future pic.twitter.com/BBqLy1OTo2
As these labels started doing the rounds on social media, many wondered how the company was aware of the novel coronavirus in advance of the pandemic, when a vaccine to tackle COVID-19 has not even been developed. Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Group, Dettol’s manufacturing company released a statement saying that the product is not talking about the novel coronavirus.
There are different types of coronaviruses, and the pathogen causing the current pandemic is only one strain of the family. RB clarified that the claims on the packaging refer to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the illnesses caused by the other strains of coronaviruses.
“Our products are effective against other coronaviruses (MERS-CoV and SARSCoV). We haven't had access to the new virus (2019-nCoV) for testing yet, so we are unable to confirm our level of effectiveness against. We are working to ensure we have the latest information on it,” RB said in a tweet response.
Our products are effective against other coronaviruses (MERS-CoV and SARSCoV). We haven't had access to the new virus (2019-nCoV) for testing yet, so we are unable to confirm our level of effectiveness against. We are working to ensure we have the latest information on it.
— RB (@discoverRB) February 7, 2020
Dettol UK said in a Facebook post as early as January 31, 2020, “As this is an emerging outbreak RB, like all manufacturers, doesn't yet have access to the new virus (2019-nCoV) for testing and, as a result, are not yet in a position to confirm levels of effectiveness against the new strain.”
Certain Dettol products (such as Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Spray, Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser Wipes, Dettol All-In-One Disinfectant Spray, and Dettol Disinfectant Liquid) have shown roughly 99.9% inactivation “against coronavirus strains from the same family as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus,” according to the company’s website.