Publication of Correspondence with Secretary of State for Defence
14 May 2020
The Defence Committee has received a response from the Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace MP, to a letter sent from the Chair of the Defence Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, asking for clarification following reports that the insect repellent Citriodiol is being used by the Armed Forces as protection against coronavirus.
- Letter to the Secretary of State for Defence, dated 27 April 2020
- Response from the Secretary of State for Defence, dated 12 May 2020
- Defence Committee
The response confirmed that "enhanced Force Health Protection Measures have been introduced" and that a Citriodiol-based spray has been issued to "each of the 10 Joint Military Commands, which have been delegated the authority to provide to their personnel wherever required."
The letter explains that "the Surgeon General advised that, albeit in lieu of conclusive research, Citriodiol would do no harm and should be used on a precautionary basis, as an additional layer of protection against exposure to COVID-19."
Chair's comments
Chair of the Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, said:
"I'm pleased to have received a response from the Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, as well as the promise of further updates, following reports that the insect repellent Citriodiol is being tested on our troops.
The Defence Committee looks forward to hearing more from the Department and hopes that any research on the effectiveness of Citriodiol is shared with key institutions and the public as we continue our fight against coronavirus."
Further information
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