Coronavirus

Fairfield Resident Needed Medical Assistance After Using Bleach for Nasal Rinse

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A Fairfield resident used a solution made with bleach for a nasal rinse instead of distilled water and needed medical assistance, according to the fire department.

The resident called 911 on Thursday and the Fairfield Emergency Communications Center called the Connecticut Poison Control Center at UConn Health to provide the resident with medical advice over the phone.

Firefighters arrived within minutes and found that the resident had accidently used a homemade bleach solution from a distilled water bottle container that was labeled as “chlorine,” according to the fire department.

This happened at a time when many residents of Connecticut and beyond have been creating their own cleaning solutions because they cannot find them in stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Paramedics treated the patient, who didn’t need to go to the hospital.

“An important lesson learned from this incident is how our residents should be safely making homemade cleaning solutions due to the lack of supply of pre-mixed cleaning products during this Covid crisis,” Assistant Chief Erik Kalapir said in a statement. “Some of us may have been mixing these solutions in non-hazardous looking containers.” 

“Although this container was labeled on one side, some residents may not be clearly labeling after mixing,” Kalapir added. “Residents should ensure that all members of the household are aware of homemade solutions in bottles and containers. These containers should be clearly marked and kept in locations where cleaning solutions would normally be found away from the access of children and toddlers.”

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