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"During the great COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people are being tested to see if they are infected with the virus SARS-CoV-2. The test involves a sample being taken deep into a nasal cavity, using a medical swab. Naturally, a sterile swab must be employed, and these devices are sterilized with ethylene oxide in large batches..The sterile swabs are then shipped to contract warehouses, strategically located around the country.

Ideally, these sterile loads should be aerated for a number of hours, but the pandemic and the attendant and growing desire for testing inevitably means that corners may sometimes be cut. Thus, there is a concern on the part of both the warehouse operators and swab manufacturers regarding the potential exposure of their employees to toxic levels of ethylene oxide."
https://www.gasdetection.com/gas-detection-knowledge-base/interesting-applications/covid-19-swabs-ethylene-oxide-and-warehouses/

It’s Not Easy to Get a Coronavirus Test for a Child -NYT

CDC: Ethylene oxide may have more health effects than cancer

Chicagotribune: Officials knew ethylene oxide was linked to cancer for decades. Here's why it's still being emitted in Willowbrook and Waukegan.

CDC: "The main disadvantages associated with ETO are the lengthy cycle time, the cost, and its potential hazards to patients and staff...
ETO is absorbed by many materials. For this reason, following sterilization the item must undergo aeration to remove residual ETO. Guidelines have been promulgated regarding allowable ETO limits for devices that depend on how the device is used, how often, and how long in order to pose a minimal risk to patients in normal product use."
https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/sterilization/ethylene-oxide.html
Washington State Depart­ment of Labor & Indus­tries issued a warning stating that EO sterilization is not approved by federal OSHA for use on personal protective equipment and should not be used to sterilize filtering facepiece respirators for reuse because this extremely hazardous toxic chemical poses a severe risk to human health.

"Ethylene Oxide Sterilization Systems must not be used to sterilize masks and respirators. Per the EPA, ethylene oxide is a carcinogen and potentially teratogenic. CDC states “inhalation of ethylene oxide has been linked to neurologic dysfunction and may cause other harmful effects to the wearer.” Prolonged exposure to ethylene oxide can hurt eyes and lungs, harm the brain and nervous system, and potentially cause lymphomas, leukemia, and breast cancer. This extremely hazardous toxic chemical poses a severe risk to human health. EtO sterilizer systems must NOT be used to sterilize masks, respirators, PPE or items worn by humans." -- yet go ahead and jam a EtO covered swab up against one of your most sensitive areas, your blood brain barrier & nasal mucosa & twist it around.