Unpleasant coronavirus-themed Halloween masks, which were made by a Chinese firm, have been put on sale by several users on Amazon.
Unsightly coronavirus masks
With the rising death toll from the COVID-19 virus worldwide, which totaled at least one million this week, the off-putting and frightening masks are on sale for about $19.
According to The Sun, the manufacturers called the products "Corona Halloween Masks" and are fashioned from the appearance of the COVID-19 virus when viewed under a microscope.
The Amazon listings state that the manufacturing firm that made the masks is YTFU EU and is listed as a company based in Guangdong, China.
The products' descriptions write that the Corona Halloween Masks are available in bright green and dull grey with red spikes. The products are made out of natural latex and recommended them due to their "scary" capabilities.
The masks are made with frightening eyes and a mouth filled with teeth, and several people have noted it could be the most distasteful Halloween costume-of-choice anyone could choose for the October 31 holiday.
People wonder if the products are really for sale or if someone is just making an elaborate and sick prank.
The chief executive of the healthcare charity Patients Association, Rachel Power, said the products showed a distasteful and terribly unappealing move by the manufacturers and sellers. She expressed her hopes that the people involved would remove the masks from sale immediately.
Power noted that she could see the majority of people who find out about the masks to find them sickening and that not many, if any, would be willing to wear them for the Halloween season.
Abiding by the rules
A spokesperson for Amazon said that all sellers on their website are required to follow strict selling guidelines to ensure quality and safe products. Failure to do so, the official warned that they could be subjected to legal actions, including the potential removal of their account.
The Amazon spokesperson also said they would be removing the products from the listings. The YTFU EU company was not reached for an immediate comment on their products.
The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, has recently announced the country is implementing stricter guidelines to curb the coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the U.K. One of the protocols limits the number of gatherings to six people but allows some exceptions, as reported by Express.
Johnson said the new guidelines could last up to six months, depending on the results, and noted that annual celebrations such as Halloween and Christmas would most likely be affected.
The head of the National Police Chief's Council, Martin Hewitt, said law enforcement personnel around the U.K. would soon be advising the public to avoid celebrating Halloween the way they used to in previous years.
Hewitt added big events such as having bonfires will not be allowed but noted that the specifics would be left to the local authorities.
In the United States, several health officials have already issued multiple guidelines on celebrating Halloween and other holidays as October begins.
