EA mask - chlorine dioxide cloud against germs?
March 22, 2020 4:44 AM Subscribe
This makes no sense to me as walking around in wafts of chlorine dioxide seems borderline nuts, but I'm getting pushed to buy EA masks for my family as anti-COVID measures. Can someone with actual biochem understanding check them out? Sold out pre-orders and getting pushed online in Singapore - so the EA masks, scam, homeopathy or possibly useful?
This looks like an air freshener that you hang around your neck? If it's not covering your mouth and nose it's going to do zero to prevent you catching or spreading covid-19.
According to Wikipedia, "Chlorine dioxide is fraudulently marketed as a magic cure for a range of diseases from brain cancer to AIDS".
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:24 AM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
According to Wikipedia, "Chlorine dioxide is fraudulently marketed as a magic cure for a range of diseases from brain cancer to AIDS".
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:24 AM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Scam. Chlorine dioxide is used in massive quantities to treat water. If it were a replacement for masks, we would be handing these lanyards out in hospitals instead of telling nurses to wear balaclavas.
It's frustrating. My mother is falling for it, and she's a medical research scientist. I think people just want a security blanket, regardless of actual efficacy.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 8:36 AM on March 22, 2020
It's frustrating. My mother is falling for it, and she's a medical research scientist. I think people just want a security blanket, regardless of actual efficacy.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 8:36 AM on March 22, 2020
Best answer: Without "outing" myself too much (I prefer to remain largely anonymous), my father was extremely prominent in international research biochemistry (he ran a multi-hundred-scientist international research organization, but is now retired); I asked him about these and he says it's a ridiculous scam that should, in a just world, be illegal.
...but I should also say he reserves his ire for the manufacturers (and the authorities that permit them), not the buyers.
posted by aramaic at 10:32 AM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
...but I should also say he reserves his ire for the manufacturers (and the authorities that permit them), not the buyers.
posted by aramaic at 10:32 AM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
Chlorine dioxide are not safe for you to be close to; they might cause as much lung damage as the infection they are purported to be protection against.
posted by chromium at 12:36 PM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by chromium at 12:36 PM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks to all for confirming it's a scam. I texted the family member hopefully in time before they placed an order and explained it as nicely as I could.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:39 PM on March 23, 2020
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:39 PM on March 23, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jon1270 at 5:10 AM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]