Prognosis
Americans Are Poisoning Themselves in Their Rush to Fight Virus
- Consumers inhale and ingest cleaning products at alarming rate
- Spike in cases comes amid rush to disinfect surfaces, food
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Poisonings related to cleaners and disinfectants surged in the U.S. last month as the global pandemic spurred a haphazard rush to disinfect everything.
Calls to state and local poison control centers tied to cleaners and disinfectants rose 20% in the first quarter to 45,550, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Complaints included shortness of breath from inhalation and dizziness and vomiting from ingestion.