The world is struggling to come to terms with Coronavirus. It is a highly contagious disease that originated in China and has infected and killed millions across the world. In the absence of medicine, doctors advise people to make extensive use of hand sanitizer. This is a protection against spreading the virus. This item has entered every home and has become an integral part of our lives. However, in May and June, some people in Arizona and New Mexico faced health issues because of this. There were 13 men and 2 women who ingested the substance and four of them lost their lives while others suffered from visual impairments and seizures.

Four of them were still in hospital as of 8 July. The sanitizer contained methanol. US regulator Food and Drug Administration FDA brands this ingredient as "not acceptable."

Sky News narrates one instance. It pertained to a 44-year-old man who sought medical help because of sudden visual impairment. He admitted to the doctor about consuming an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. A preliminary investigation revealed levels of methanol in his blood.

He had seizures while in hospital and had to undergo dialysis to clean his blood. He was in the hospital for six days and by the time he left, he had "near-total vision loss."

Hand sanitizer checks infection from coronavirus

Coronavirus is a disease that has disturbed lives all over the world and scientists are trying to come up with a vaccine.

Until that happens, the advice of experts is to follow certain guidelines to ensure safety. Some new words and terms have entered the scene like hand sanitizer, social distancing, facemasks and the work-from-home culture. Those in authority want people to avoid crowded places and the effect is felt on their lifestyle. The Travel and tourism industry has taken a severe beating, as has the movie industry.

Sky News says the CDC investigated the ingestion of hand sanitizer after the FDA warned about certain brands of the product that contained methanol. Health officials in Arizona and New Mexico passed on this information between 1 May and 30 June. They located 15 of them who were in the hospital. The affected persons suffered from various health issues that ranged from visual problems to breathlessness. As of 15 July, the FDA has identified some of these products and are recalling them. It has also urged the public to ensure that the hand sanitizer they use does not contain methanol.

In case it does, they should dispose of them off in a safe way.

Prevent the spread of coronavirus through hand sanitizer

According to CNN, people are falling sick and even dying after swallowing hand sanitizer. It is useful for cleaning of the hands during the coronavirus pandemic and the CDC cautions, "Alcohol-based hand sanitizer products should never be ingested." Children might do it by mistake, but grownups should not treat it is a substitute for alcoholic drinks. The FDA has warned about methanol-based hand sanitizer, which is harmful, unlike the ethanol-based ones. The former is toxic and can even poison people through their skin. Incidentally, President Donald Trump had suggested during a White House briefing in April that injecting disinfectant might be a possible coronavirus treatment.

The CDC immediately clarified that "Household cleaners and disinfectants can cause health problems when not used properly. Follow the instructions on the product label to ensure safe and effective use."

Economic effects of coronavirus

The world of Movies is in disarray and the industry is suffering from ill effects of the pandemic. Oscars 2021 is delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. New York has to wait for Broadway to recover from the curse of coronavirus and it will remain closed until next year. Even Prince Harry and Meghan are stuck in the labyrinth of coronavirus as they draw up plans for their charity Archewell.
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