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- Craigslist is filling up with bizarre ads for infant gas masks, bulk lab coats, and ginseng vodka as fear mounts in US over a possible coronavirus pandemic
Craigslist is filling up with bizarre ads for infant gas masks, bulk lab coats, and ginseng vodka as fear mounts in US over a possible coronavirus pandemic
Gas masks as 'the first line of defense against Coronavirus or doomsday.'
Over 100 lab coats, on sale now!
The sheer quantity of lab coats that this one Craigslist seller offered is bizarre in its own right.
The post advertises a special deal for lab coats — you can buy three cases of 30 lab coats and get one case of 30 lab coats for free. Act now and 120 lab coats could be yours!
It's not clear as to why the seller thinks lab coats can offer better protection than a regular jacket or coat, as according to the CDC the virus is believed to spread through coughs, sneezes, and close person-to-person contact.
An infant gas mask, complete with an internal feeding bottle
The Los Angeles-based seller of this "infant gas mask" says they purchased it a few years ago, seemingly on a whim, and didn't have a chance to use it on their youngest.
"I do not see the nerve gas syringes pictured in the manual, but everything else is there, including the lithium batteries," the post says.
No coronavirus prep is complete without ginseng vodka
This posting starts off by touting the medicinal effects of ginseng — which help reduce inflammation, but don't help when you've contracted coronavirus.
The post also doesn't really get into what the medicinal benefits of vodka would be, but offer these serving suggestions: "how to serve ginseng vodka? drink a half or full shut, dun trash when vodka is gone."
A 'high power electro-static' air purifier
This Denver posting asks buyers to pay $20,000 for a "high power electro-static cleaner" designed to "remove sub-micron size particles" and protect against coronavirus. The seller also includes "pictures of my compound and bio- hazard sealed shop and cabin.To show you I'm for real."
'Masks are gone' — so buy gloves
This posting prods buyers to anticipate that a shortage of face masks will only grow worse, so stock up on gloves now!
Disinfectant that's 'great for the flu or coronavirus'
While the World Health Organization has said that "bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, ether solvents, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform" are all great ways to kill 2019-nCoV on surfaces, it's not clear as to why this particular seller bought 12 gallons worth of disinfectant, or why they urge buyers to "stock and prepare before its gone."
Emergency survival kits
This post repurposes emergency survival kits — typically offered in cases when natural disasters like earthquakes hit cities — for the coronavirus.
Business-casual 'Vogmasks' to avoid looking like a Batman villain
As cheaper surgical masks grow more scarce, boutique suppliers of face masks like Vogmask have been growing more popular.
Vogmasks are patterned facemasks designed to protect against pollution, and are sold by a boutique supplier based in San Francisco. They were, however, never designed to protect against coronavirus, as the Atlantic reported after an interview with the business's owner, Wendover Brown.
Military-ready meal kits in anticipation of a city-wide ration
These "government military issue" meal-kits are marketed with multiple scenarios in mind — fires, power outages, and coronavirus outbreaks.
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