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PARKERSBURG - Local health officials have not seen anyone purposely ingesting cleaners and disinfectants in hopes of ridding themselves of the COVID-19 virus, but state poison officials have been getting calls from people who considered it.
Last week, President Donald Trump put out the idea that ingesting some forms of cleaning products could be a way to battle or even possibly cure the coronavirus. He later said he was being sarcastic when he initially said it.
However, reports have started circulating that there have been people trying it and have had to seek medical attention as a result.
Carrie Brainard of the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department said she has not heard of this happening in the local area.
''Our advice would be not to ingest anything that has not been prescribed by a physician,'' she said.
Officials at the WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center reported not having any of these kinds of cases in the emergency department.
"Obviously no household or industrial cleaning products used as a disinfectant are ever meant, nor is it safe, to be ingested and our ER has not seen any cases related to this,'' said Susan Abdella , WVU Medicine Camden Clark director of Emergency Services. ''As always, we recommend that if anyone is showing signs of illness or symptoms related to the COVID-19 virus to please call your primary care provider's office or visit our respiratory clinic to be diagnosed and tested if appropriate."
Jennifer Offenberger, spokesperson for the Memorial Health System, said it also has not seen anyone with this in the emergency rooms. Memorial Health System operates the emergency rooms for Marietta Memorial Hospital in Marietta and the Belpre Campus.
''We recommend if patients have questions about wellness and prevention or signs and symptoms of COVID to speak with their physician,'' she said.
Dr. Elizabeth Scharman, director of the West Virginia Poison Center in Charleston, said the agency received calls over the weekend from people asking if ingesting cleaners was OK.
''We did get calls, not as many as New York or Maryland,'' she said. ''That was good, we had people call first.''
The number of poisoning exposures in West Virginia from bleach products and disinfectants has increased during the March 9 to April 26 time period this year compared to last year.
From March 9 to April 26, 2019, there were 151 calls relating to cleaning products and hand sanitizer, Scharman said. During the same time frame this year, there have been 206 calls.
She said the interesting thing in that time frame in 2019, the calls dealing with people over the age of 11 was at 28.50 percent of the calls. The same time frame for 2020 saw it increase to 46 percent of the calls.
''We are seeing more adults,'' Scharman said.
In 2019, 20.9 percent of the 723 West Virginia poisoning exposure cases relating to non-drug products during the time period specifically dealt with cleaning products and hand sanitizer. This year, it is 38 percent for 758 cases.
''What we are seeing in West Virginia is people bathing themselves with sanitizing wipes and people who are spraying their face masks with these cleaners, putting them on and wearing them,'' Scharman said. ''It irritates your lungs and nasal passages when you do that. People are using the products in ways they are not suppose to be used.''
Poisonings with hand sanitizers also are continuing from improper use, officials with the West Virginia Poison Center said. The most effective way of dealing with the COVID-19 virus is regularly washing hands with soap and warm water.
''Not only is this safe, it is a very effective way to kill the virus causing COVID-19 that might be on our skin,'' Scharman said. '' Attempting to clean with skin with disinfectant wipes or bleach solution is not only not necessary, these products can damage the skin and potentially cause coughing when the fumes are inhaled. Soap and water really is enough.''
It is hard for some people to believe that soap and water are effective against the virus, she said. In many cases, people are looking for alternatives to try to control what is happening around them.
''We are in an unusual situation where you got something out there that not only scares people but they have no control over,'' Scharman said. ''You feel like you have no control over it. People are hoping there is something they can do. I think people like it when they can do something.''
When it comes to something as serious as COVID-19, washing hands with soap and water may not seem like enough for some people.
''It just doesn't seem to fit,'' Scharman said. ''Something as simple as soap and water compared to this disease that is killing people. I think that disconnect is really hard for people.''
However, the way the virus is structured soap and warm water really break down the outer coating of it.
''On the skin, it really is the best thing,'' Scharman said.
If people are not near soap and water, hand sanitizer can be used as long as the alcohol content is 60 percent or more.
''Now that more hand sanitizer products are required to be made in non-traditional ways, since the products you would normally buy are not always available, there are added risks,'' Scharman said. '' Non-traditional hand sanitizer may come in bottles without the usual pump.
''This requires special caution. Just because it comes in a bottle that looks like a mini-bottle of liquor or a medicine bottle, never drink hand sanitizer. This can be dangerous and it will not kill any viruses that you have already inhaled or that already in your body.''
The West Virginia Poison Center is recommending people save bleach products and disinfectants for cleaning counters and other surfaces. This is where they can work to kill the virus causing COVID-19. ''Drinking these products or purposefully inhaling them can harm you, not help you,'' Scharman said. ''These products have no way to get to where the virus is harming your cells and internal organs.''
Face masks need to be regularly cleaned in hot water and soap.
''Please stay safe, not only from COVID-19, but from the products you use every day now,'' Scharman said.
For any poisoning concerns or questions, the WV Poison Center is still available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-222-1222.