Florida Poison Control: ‘Surge in calls’ amid coronavirus threat

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Exposures to disinfectants, alcohol and hand sanitizes have more than doubled, according to a tweet Tuesday from Florida’s Poison Control Centers.

Poison Control said it has noticed a surge in calls about poisonings as fears rise about the new coronavirus, or COVID-19. It’s reminding parents to keep bottles of disinfectants and sanitizers away from children.

“With the increased recommendations of hand washing and hand sanitizer, especially with the concern of viral transmission, we’ve been seeing that more people have this around their houses and children are more likely to access these products,” said K.C. Lee with Florida Poison Control. “Their risk would depend on the amount of alcohol content that they accessed.”

To get in touch with Florida Poison Control, dial 1-800-222-1222.