"Wah, kena selidik ni." Itulah tanggapan saya apabila terima chain message di WhatsApp tentang tag magic "Buatan Jepun" ni. Kena selidik untuk beli di mana dan cari keberkesanannya. Pernah dengar tak? Saya pertama kali dengar, jadi saya dah baca beberapa artikel. Saya buat kesimpulannya di sini, ok?

"Wrap and dispose of the Sodium Chlorite bag immediately if it comes in contact with water or if it is torn open"

Apa kata Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia

Salah satu jenama anti viral tag yang dijual di Malaysia, saya dapati tidak tertera pengesahan dari Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. Pada masa yang sama, tak ada juga larangan rasmi dari KKM tentang alat ni. Mungkin sebab masih baru.

Reaksi Luar Negara

1. Jepun

Hidekazu Nishimura dari Virus Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Sendai Medical Center, National Hospital Organization, Japan ada publish paper pada 2017 yang bertajuk Investigation on Practical Usefulness of Body-worn Devices that Claim to Release Chlorine Dioxide ada nyatakan seperti berikut :

"Viral loads were found to be similar between viral samplings in the air collected from the site close to the device for all devices and in the controlled air, indicating that no virucidal activity was found against the air-borne influenza viruses with selected devices in these conditions"

"The amount of live bacteria on the plate was also found to be similar between the groups of those placed in the air close to the device and those in the controlled air for all devices and for both bacteria species, indicating no bactericidal activity against these bacteria with selected devices in these conditions."

"the gas concentrations of chlorine dioxide released by devices were measured at a 10-cm distance from each device. The detected gas concentration was found very low or zero ppb in every product."

Kesimpulan dari research paper :

- Jumlah virus dan bakteria di sekitar alat ni adalah sama, bermakna tiada aktiviti pembasimian virus atau bakteria.
- Jumlah chlorine dioxide yang dikesan pada jarak 10 cm daripada alat sangat rendah, hampir 0.

2. Hong Kong

Dr Ariane Davison – virologist dan immunologist dari Hongkong, menyatakan seperti berikut :

"...the necklace is a “complete scam,” adding that it “will do nothing to protect you by inactivating respiratory viruses.”

"The device is worn around your neck – nowhere near your nose and mouth which are the key portals for Covid infection. Should you bring the device closer to your face, the active ingredient, chlorine dioxide, would cause severe respiratory and eye irritations and skin burns, as it is highly corrosive,” she said.

"...chlorine dioxide is used to sterilise hard surfaces, and should not be used near the face: Furthermore, unlike the targets of anti-mosquito devices such as ‘Parakito’ which work to repel flying insects, viruses are inanimate, and do not ‘migrate’ or become attracted to the ‘Virus Shut Out,’ worn around the neck. “This device is useless in protecting against Covid-19.”

3. Diharamkan di beberapa negara Asia

Alat ini telah diharamkan dari eBay dan Facebook, manakala pihak Vietnam dan Thailand pula telah merampas alat tersebut daripada dijual secara komersial.

Penjelasan salah sebuah Syarikat Pembuatan Tag

“Please note that supplier has made an official announcement on its website on 10 March 2020 to advise retailers to refrain from copying or advertising as if the concerned Virus Shut Out product is effective against the new coronavirus so as not to mislead the consumers. For details, please refer to this link. We sell this product at stores and online and we never make any such claim as well.”


Kesimpulan

Inovasi yang menarik. Mungkin pada masa akan datang bila kita berjaya optimumkan keberkesanannya, akan dipasarkan secara besar-besaran. Tapi buat masa ni, saya tak jadi beli.