Video released by the City of Nogales, Sonora on Facebook
Tourists are required to walk through a chemical spray
On May 7, Nogales, Sonora Mayor Jesús Pujol Irastorza announced the placement of a disinfection tunnel south of the Mariposa Port. Any non-citizens driving into Mexico through Mariposa must get out of their vehicle and walk through the tunnel, which sprays a disinfectant on their skin, hair and clothes.
Later, a tunnel was added at the DeConcini Point of Entry for pedestrians crossing from the U.S. into Nogales.
Pujol’s rationale for installing the tunnel was to stop Americans from bringing coronavirus to Sonora. And though it may have been well intentioned, the tunnels are not only not effective, they pose risks to the people who walk through them and waste chemicals that could be used to disinfect areas of Nogales.
Unfortunately, disinfecting the hair and skin of visitors does nothing to stop an infected person from spreading the virus. Coronavirus is spread by tiny droplets generated from breathing, talking, yelling, coughing, sneezing or otherwise expelling the genomes from the mouth.
And in addition to being ineffective, the tunnels can be dangerous.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared disinfecting tunnels to be unsafe, saying they are not recommended under any circumstances.
Spraying chemicals on individuals can irritate eyes and skin. It could also cause gastrointestinal problems like nausea and vomiting, and bronchospasm from inhaling the chemicals. And those risks are increase if the sodium hypochlorite solution (bleaching agent) is mixed incorrectly.
In addition, the organization Health Care without Harm points out that the effectiveness of the tunnels has never been demonstrated.
Nogales, Sonora and towns across the border in Santa Cruz County, Arizona are in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak, with more new cases every day.
As of yesterday, there were 847 cases in Nogales, Mexico and 1,293 cases in Santa Cruz County.
Instead of being wasted in the tunnels, the sodium hypochlorite could be used to disinfect business and areas where people gather in Nogales, Sonora.
Or the tunnels could be used to disinfect first responders who have been directly exposed to the virus.
So, if you are considering a trip to Nogales, be aware that you will first be required to walk through a disinfection tunnel, where you will be sprayed with a diluted chlorine solution.
We will let you know if that changes.
Editor’s note: Although the tunnel has been featured in media reports as late as June 14, we have been informed that the tunnels are still in use, but inconsistently.
Have you visited Nogales, Mexico recently? Let us know how it went.