Poison Control Services Preserve COVID-19 Healthcare Resources

Routines have suddenly changed with the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Schools, day cares, and businesses are closed, and many people are working remotely. Hand sanitizer, cleaning products, and disinfectants are within close reach of our children. Our use of medications may be different than it was last week.

All of these changes make it a prime time for unintentional poisonings to happen at home. Prevent poisonings with the following precautions:

• Store medications and household products securely out of reach of children
• Read medicine labels and follow directions
• Use child-resistant packaging
• Keep batteries away from children; a swallowed battery can be fatal
• Don’t transfer non-food items into food or beverage containers
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm.

No matter what the situation, reach out to the National Capital Poison Center FIRST for suspected poisonings. By handling the majority of poisoning cases at home, Poison Control reduces poisoning-related ER visits, a critical part of preserving valuable healthcare resources for coronavirus (COVID-19) care. Get guidance and treatment recommendations online with webPOISONCONTROL or by calling 1-800-222-1222. The Poison Center remains open and ready to help.