In the United States, significantly more people have sought help from emergency centers since the corona crisis began because they had poisoned themselves with disinfectants and cleaning agents. Children were particularly affected, reports the US CDC.
–
In one case, a preschooler had to be taken to the hospital after drinking from a bottle of disinfectant, unnoticed by her parents. The girl became dizzy and fell, the family later reported. A high level of alcohol in the child’s blood was found in the hospital. The girl had to be treated in the intensive care unit for one night. It was able to leave the hospital after two days.
–
In another case, an adult woman tried to clean her food with a bleach solution that she had mixed together. Thereupon a chlorine-like smell spread in the kitchen. The woman got breathing problems, cough and had to be treated in the hospital.
–
According to the US authority CDC, it is not clear whether the corona crisis actually led to the increasing number of poisonings, but the timing is striking. Accordingly, there were 45,550 reported emergencies involving disinfectants and cleaning agents from January to March alone – an increase of 20 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. The largest increase in poisoning is due to accidental inhalation of vapors.
The US Disease Control Agency therefore recommends when handling cleaning agents:
-
use only according to the imprints,
-
don’t mix chemicals,
-
Wearing safety gloves,
-
use only in well-ventilated rooms,
-
Keep out of reach of children.
The Robert Koch Institute has one List of disinfectants issued that are effective against the corona virus. It is crucial that these fight enveloped viruses. In these cases the packaging says “virucidal”, “limited virucidal” or “limited virucidal plus”. The correct hand must be moistened with disinfectant. Then the hands have to air dry.
–
However, disinfectants are difficult to obtain in many places. In everyday life, it is generally sufficient to wash your hands thoroughly with soap, since soap attacks the fat layer of the viruses and can thus render them harmless. Under no circumstances should disinfectants be inhaled or drunk.
The corona virus is mainly transmitted via droplets. Infection over contaminated areas is theoretically conceivable, but has not yet been reliably proven. In everyday life, keeping away from infection is therefore probably more reliable than disinfectant cleaning agents.
–
