#Insect repellent company warns: Don’t use our products to kill COVID-19

Some insect repellents may be an effective killer of COVID-19, but please don’t go Off-ing yourself just yet.

Pyramid Products, a UK-based company, is warning consumers that their products should not be used to kill the coronavirus. The public alert comes amid reports this week of new studies that found Citriodiol, an ingredient in some bug sprays, could be used to wipe out the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the skin’s surface.

The company reported a 1,000% spike in search interest for their product, Mosi-guard Natural Spray, over the last 24 hours, following the release of the study by the UK’s Ministry of Defense on Wednesday.

“We have absolutely no interest whatsoever in profiting from unproven research,” Alistair Cameron, managing director of Scotmas Group, Pyramid’s parent company, told The Independent.

“During a Scottish summer, sales of our insect repellent are always strong — but these last 24 hours have been unprecedented,” Cameron said in his statement.

“While we are in full and complete support of scientific research in this area, the results of preliminary findings being issued only feeds into the overwhelming sea of misinformation which can have a detrimental impact on the world’s fight against the coronavirus.”

Citriodiol, a safe and natural repellant approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency, is made from the foliage of the eucalyptus citriodora tree.

Cameron went on to stress that Citriodiol’s efficacy needs to be more “thoroughly tested,” and urged consumers to “continue [using] hand gel, which has been proven to be effective” against the coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Hopefully this doesn’t begin a trend and we start to see people wearing mosquito nets instead of face masks,” Cameron said.