The COVID-19 test kit you may have in your home likely contains a toxic chemical. The Georgia Poison Center tells Channel 2 Action News in recent months, they’ve taken dozens of calls on children and adults accidentally exposed to the substance. The government has sent out hundreds of millions of free COVID test kits, which are also widely available in stores. It’s a quick 15-minute nasal swab test to check if you’ve got COVID.
But in most tests, the active ingredient that helps determine the result is sodium azide, a toxic chemical. Channel 2′s Tom Regan talked to a mother who said she is careful doing tests, especially with her kids. “They know not to touch me when I’m doing a COVID test. That’s serious business,” said Erin Dawson, a mother of two.
“This product can be dangerous. In some cases, if enough is ingested, it can cause your blood pressure to drop… The other thing we know, sodium azide can irritate the gut, irritate the stomach,” said Dr. Gaylord Lopez, executive director of the Georgia Poison Center. He said in recent months, they’ve handled dozens of calls of accidental ingestion of sodium azide.