Mix-up of at-home COVID tests prompts warning from health officials

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — Poison control officials are urging caution and common sense after more than 200 incidents nationwide with a dangerous mix-up of at-home COVID tests.

COVID self-test kits are in millions of homes. Some use tiny amounts of toxic sodium azide as a reagent.

From the kits, children have drank it, people have mistaken it for eyedrops and not understood that you would never be asked to put a solution on a nasal swab of something that, in large amounts, can cause respiratory failure leading to death and stick it up your nose.

While warnings about the chemicals make it clear it could put you in the hospital, it's unlikely in the amounts in one of these kits. Still, you need to use common sense while handling it - read the instructions.

“Instead of swabbing, swabbing both sides of their nose and then putting the swab into the developer solution, they're putting the developer solution on the swab and then putting the swab in their nose,” Dr. Elizabeth Scharman of the West Virginia Poison Center said.

Most incidents have involved mild irritation and could be treated at home, but kids need to be kept clear of the vials that look like small squeeze bottles. Adults can mistake them for eyedrops.

“The developer solution containers look very much like this in some of the kits and so people are confusing the two and putting the developer solution to the test kit in their eyes,” Scharman said.

The West Virginia Poison Center said keep them away from children. If there is a problem, you can call the center at 1-800-222-1222.

Severe poisonings are not expected, but mistakes can expose you to things like skin, eye or nostril irritation.

Another reason to keep the kits away from small children is that some of the small pieces can be a choking hazard.