The Impact of COVID-19 on Calls made to Canadian Poison Centres Regarding Cleaning Products and Disinfectants: A Population Based Retrospective Interrupted Time-Series Study One Year before and after the WHO's Pandemic Declaration

Health Canada is responsible for the assessment and management of health risks to Canadians associated with exposure to chemicals in the environment. Health Canada previously reported on a rise in calls made to Canadian poison centres for medical treatment advice/guidance on exposures to cleaning products and disinfectants at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This follow-up paper, examines whether reporting of these products remain elevated or have subsided to pre-pandemic levels, one year after the World Health Organization (WHO)’s declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic. Using Canadian poison centre data between March 2019 and March 2021 regarding hand sanitisers, disinfectants, bleaches, chlorine gas, and chloramine gas, this paper examined the changes before and after March 2020. In this time period, a total of 396,041 exposure calls were made to the five Canadian poison centres, of which 5,669 (1.4%) were for hand sanitisers, 3375 (0.9%) for disinfectants, 7022 (1.8%) for bleaches, 2205 (0.6%) for chlorine gas, and 369 (0.1%) for chloramine gas exposures. Those most often exposed to hand sanitisers were 19 years of age or less, whereas those older than 19 years of age were more often exposed to bleaches, chlorine and chloramine gas. Results show that one year after the WHO declaration of a pandemic, hand sanitisers, chlorine gas, and chloramine gas have yet to return to pre-pandemic rates, showing increases of 169%, 35%, and 108% from pre-pandemic rates, respectfully. Health Canada continues to monitor reported cases of hand sanitisers, disinfectants, bleaches, chlorine gas, and chloramine gas exposures through ongoing surveillance activities.