Date: Tuesday, 7 July 2020
Event time: 09:00 A.M. – 10:30 P.M. GMT
Register to the webinar here.
WHO is organizing a webinar on “Chemical impacts in fighting COVID-19” discusses ramifications of excessive chemical exposures due to more frequent and widespread use of disinfectants, hand sanitizers, and cleaning products and PPEs, as well as the uncontrolled application of other measures, such as non-prescribed medication.
Improper and unsafe use of these products can lead to toxic effects in people that can be as dangerous as the virus itself. The webinar tries to provide information about chemical impact arising from different aspects of COVID-19 response, the regulatory and other measures taken to prevent or mitigate these and to flag up potential environmental impacts of COVID-19 response measures.
Event Agenda
Welcome and introduction
Francesca Racioppi, Dorota Jarosinska, WHO European Centre for Environment and Health
Chemical hazards associated with COVID-19 response and information from WHO to address these
Joanna Tempowski, World Health Organization
Regulatory regime of disinfectants and hand-sanitizers: ensuring availability and safety
Klaus Berend, Head of Unit E.4 – Pesticides and Biocides, DG SANTE, European Commission
Questions and answers
Dorota Jarosinska and Irina Zastenskaya, WHO European Centre for Environment and Health
Preventing acute adverse health effects of disinfectant and sanitizers
Željka Babić, Poison Control Centre, Croatia
Toxicity and adverse effects of potential therapeutics in COVID-19
Dina Pfeifer, Infectious Hazard Management, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
Prevention of environmental impact of toxic chemicals in disinfectants, cleaning products and household waste of PPE
Dorota Napierska, Chemicals Policy and Projects Officer, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe
Questions and answers
Dorota Jarosinska and Irina Zastenskaya, WHO European Centre for Environment and Health
Closure
