Fully vaccinated, last Friday night I dined inside a small Marin restaurant. Just as I started to eat the delicious appetizers, someone cleared and wiped the large, round table to my left with a cloth, of which the Clorox to water ratio was amiss. Being an HSP adversely affected by strong smells, including many botanicals, and aware of the harmful effects on the immune system especially of chemically-derived fragrances, this was off-putting and somewhat of a deterrent for enjoying my food. Luckily, the scent was short-lived!

Recently, I saw a video from Delta Airlines showing the disinfecting process in the hopes of allaying fears and luring passengers. A Clorox derivative was being sprayed in the air and on the surfaces. My reaction was UGH, we are now being inundated with toxic chemicals, not to mention I better not wear any good clothes on a plane. I’ve seen other videos of this type of spraying promoting safety in gyms too. The Covid response of disinfecting everything with heavy chemicals like Clorox and Lysol has been a boon to the manufacturers. I shudder at the thought of children being exposed to these. There are far more benign yet effective solutions to use.