Philippines health department on clean-up duty after President Duterte suggests disinfecting masks with gasoline

Health officials in the Philippines rushed to offer a correction after bombastic President Rodrigo Duterte urged Filipinos to disinfect their face masks with gasoline or diesel fuel.

“At the end of the day, hang [the mask] somewhere and spray it with Lysol if you can afford it,” Duterte said during a Tuesday speech. “For people who don’t [have Lysol], drench it in gasoline or diesel, and that son of a b—- COVID won’t stand a chance. Just find some gasoline [and] dip your hand [with the mask] in it.”