Surgeon turned U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson got throttled on Saturday for coughing directly into his hand during his opening remarks at a White House press conference addressing the coronavirus pandemic.
Because, as many of us know by now, that’s not the proper way to cough to avoid spreading germs, and because Carson is not just a doctor, but a brain surgeon, many Twitter users had a field day with the misstep.
“Neurosurgeon Ben Carson coughed in his hand and then placed that same hand on the podium,” one user tweeted.
“Dr. Ben Carson, neurosurgeon extraordinaire, coughing into his hands at a press conference about the coronavirus pandemic is appalling,” Cool Quit founder and CEO Eugene Gu wrote. “Doctors are supposed to be role models during a health emergency. Instead, Dr. Carson uses his platform to carelessly showcase dangerous habits.”
Another tweeted: “In a presser for coronapreparedness, Ben Carson just coughed into his hand and touched his face, un-ironically giving a demonstration on exactly what not to do.”
For those of you wondering, here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s specific instructions for how best to cough in order “to help stop the spread of germs”:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Put your used tissue in a waste basket.
- If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
So yes, according to the CDC, Carson should not have coughed directly into his hand or, as one Twitter user put it: “Ben Carson showing us HOW NOT TO COUGH IN PUBLIC.”
Readers can see just a handful (sorry for the pun) of the reactions to Carson’s cough below.
Dr. Ben Carson, neurosurgeon extraordinaire, coughing into his hands at a press conference about the coronavirus pandemic is appalling. Doctors are supposed to be role models during a health emergency. Instead, Dr. Carson uses his platform to carelessly showcase dangerous habits. pic.twitter.com/uF6auyZYPn
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 14, 2020
Neurosurgeon Ben Carson coughed in his hand and then placed that same hand on the podium pic.twitter.com/IRKOGKqMQH
— Eddie (@LebaneseJokerYT) March 14, 2020
It doesn't take a brain surgeon to know that you shouldn't cough into your hand, and then touch your face, during a coronavirus outbreak.
Dr. Ben Carson, actual brain surgeon: pic.twitter.com/AHT5PH3Xjg
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) March 14, 2020
Donald Trump's day so far:
– Now claims he has been tested for coronavirus, after his doctor said he didn't need it
– #TrumpPlague is trending
– Meltdown about reporter Kelly O'Donnell
– Ben Carson doesn't know how to cough right
– Trump is going to prison
– It's still only 2pm— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 14, 2020
In a presser for coronapreparedness, Ben Carson just coughed into his hand and touched his face, un-ironically giving a demonstration on exactly what not to do.
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) March 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/meenaharris/status/1238885441702526976
neurosurgeon dr ben carson leading by example – coughing directly into his hand & immediately touching the podium pic.twitter.com/5gmFR4goHg
— molly conger (@socialistdogmom) March 14, 2020
Ben Carson just coughed into his hand.
— Mieke Eoyang (@MiekeEoyang) March 14, 2020
Dr. Ben Carson starts his speech by coughing into his hand.
— Jason Lynch 🇺🇦 (@jasonlynch) March 14, 2020
Ben Carson opens his remarks by coughing into his hand at the podium. pic.twitter.com/enUEPmfTUD
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) March 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/mikereinholz777/status/1238874410120953856