‘Distasteful’ coronavirus Halloween masks from China sold on Amazon
‘Hugely distasteful’ coronavirus Halloween masks from China go on sale on Amazon – as marketplace vows to remove them
- Coronavirus Halloween masks made in China are being listed for sale on Amazon
- The latex masks, some costing up to £30, resemble the SARS-CoV-2019 virus
- They have been blasted as ‘hugely distasteful’ by the head of a parenting group
- Amazon has today promised to remove masks, which are still available to buy
‘Hugely distasteful’ coronavirus Halloween masks which are made in China are being listed for sale on Amazon’s UK website.
The latex masks – some of which are being sold at up to £30 – are being listed on the online marketplace by a number of sellers based in China – where the virus is thought to have originated.
The full-face masks resemble an illustration of the SARS-CoV-2019 virus – but with creepy eyes and a mouth.
The ‘non-toxic’ masks are being marketed as suitable for adults and teenagers – with one seller claiming the mask will leave ‘an amazing and lasting impression’.
It comes after the worldwide death toll for the virus this week reached one million people.
The masks have been branded ‘hugely distasteful’ by one parenting group, while Amazon has vowed to remove the listings from its website.
‘Hugely distasteful’ coronavirus Halloween masks which are made in China are being listed for sale on Amazon’s UK website
The latex masks – some of which are being sold at up to £30 – are being listed on the online marketplace by a number of Chinese-based sellers. The ‘non-toxic’ masks are being marketed as suitable for adults and teenagers – with one seller claiming the mask will leave ‘an amazing and lasting impression’
The full-face masks resemble an illustration of the SARS-CoV-2019 virus (pictured) – but with creepy eyes and a mouth
One of the listings, which was still on Amazon at the time of writing, is by YTFU EU – a seller listed as being from the Guangdong region of China.
The product is listed as a YTFU Corona Latex Horror Mask and is being sold for £14.59 with free delivery.
It is listed as being made of ‘safe’ and ‘non-toxic’ material with a ‘terrible Corona design’.
The seller says the masks is suitable for most adults and teenagers and that ‘wearing this Halloween Horror Mask will give you an amazing and lasting impression’.
Another brand, which is listed on Amazon as being sold by user yangqingwen1456, from the Chinese city of Zhenjiang, is selling one mask for £28.99.
The WWJJTT Halloween coronavirus mask claims to be made of ‘natural nontoxic material, environmentally friendly, nontoxic and beautifully painted’.
The description adds: ‘This mask can attract people’s attention when wearing at the party. You can choose this mask, more ladies than before.’
One of the sellers promises to ship the product ‘within six to ten days’, with the mask set to arrive as early as October 21 – 10 days before Halloween – or as late as November 7 – which would be after the annual calendar date.
The masks have been branded ‘hugely distasteful’ by one parenting group, while Amazon has vowed to remove the listings from its website.
The WWJJTT Halloween coronavirus mask claims to be made of ‘natural nontoxic material, environmentally friendly, nontoxic and beautifully painted’
Another mask, called the ‘Coronavirus Horror Latex Head Mask’, which is no longer available to buy, is listed in the description as having a ‘natural and realistic appearance, which is horrifying and creepy, and many children are afraid to come close.
‘This will add more happy and active atmosphere to you.’
It adds: ‘The latex virus full face mask is spacious enough to put on/off. There is no obstacle to vision and breathing, and it is highly breathable.’
The masks have attracted criticism by Rachel Power Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association.
She told The Sun: ‘These masks show a terrible lapse of judgement by the manufacturers and sellers, and I hope they will be removed from sale quickly.
‘I’ve no doubt the great majority of people will find them hugely distasteful, and I can’t imagine that many people would wish to wear one.’
An Amazon spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action including potential removal of their account.
‘These products are being removed.’
It comes as it was revealed that plague doctors costumes are selling out at fancy dress stores as they are tipped to be one of the most popular Halloween costumes this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Medieval plague doctor outfits with long black robes, black tops hats, gloves and the distinctive beak masks are already sold out on some online stores.
The costumes were worn by doctors treating patients during the epidemics of bubonic plague that swept across western Europe.
Plague doctors often wore a head-to-toe leather or wax coat and a beak mask, which would be stuffed with sweet smelling herbs, dried flowers or a vinegar sponge to ward off the disease.
They also carried a rod to poke or fend off victims.
Jokers’ Masquerade is selling a Medieval Plague Doctor Halloween costume, including a robe, collar, belt, hat and mask for £34.99.
Amazon has a plague doctors mask, black top hat, black hooded cape, black gloves and a cane for £27.99 and even a children’s version, complete with blood splatters on the arm for £15.99.
Many people have taken to Twitter to reveal that they are wearing plague doctor costumes for Halloween this year.
Nayexus wrote: ‘I’m being a plague doctor this Halloween and I swear if any child has the nerve to trick or treat at my house this year, I’m gonna give them live leeches.’
Raphael Mejia wrote: ‘Plague doctor is gonna be my Halloween costume.’
Maria added: ‘The amount of plague doctors we’re gonna see this Halloween.’
Britain today recorded 7,108 more coronavirus cases and another 71 deaths — including a three-month high of seven in Scotland.
Daily infections are up 15 per cent on last Wednesday’s 6,178 and almost 80 per cent higher than on Wednesday two weeks ago.
But Britain’s infections are a far-cry from what they were during the darkest days of the crisis in March and April, when at least 100,000 people were becoming infected every day.
The Department of Health data also adds to evidence that the death count is now slowly starting to climb after weeks of surging infections.
For comparison, the number of victims announced today is almost double that of last Wednesday (37) and more than triple the figure a fortnight ago (20).
There have been more than 40,000 coronavirus related deaths in the UK so far.
Not the party spirit! Clairvoyant blasts ‘irresponsible’ Poundland for selling £1 OUIJA boards for Halloween gatherings
A medium has blasted Poundland as being ‘utterly irresponsible’ for flogging ouija boards for Halloween.
Clairvoyant Julie Tetley claims the devices can ‘destroy people’s lives’ and ‘spirits can cause suicides’.
She fears she will be ‘busy in the next couple of months’ dealing with the fall-out from people dabbling in the dark arts by inadvertently summoning sinister spirits using the £1 prop.
Poundland is selling its Spirit Board for £1 nationwide as part of its ‘Creepy Town’ Halloween displays
The 64-year-old medium was horrified to discover the boards, a firm favourite in horror movies, were being sold as a Halloween decoration in the Scarborough branch of the store.
Although Julie accepts the board is merely a tool, she says it encourages people to ‘open up their energies’ and communicate with spirits – some more ‘sinister’ than others.
She claimed people should leave the so-called ‘game’ well alone as she believes the evil spirits can lead to suicides among those they ‘attach’ to.
Clairvoyant Julie Tetley, 64, claims the devices can ‘destroy people’s lives’
Poundland is selling its Spirit Board for £1 nationwide as part of its ‘Creepy Town’ Halloween displays.
Sale of the product is restricted to over 18s and the product is labelled ‘for adults only’.
Julie, from Scarborough, said: ‘It’s totally and utterly irresponsible for Poundland to be selling this, it’s horrendous.
‘Children will buy them, they just want fun. They see it on TV, they don’t understand what they’re doing, it can destroy their lives in every way.
‘It can bring negative influences around you all the time. They need to know the intent of using these boards is to speak to the spirit.
‘Sometimes people say ‘this board doesn’t work, it hasn’t moved’ but they’ve already opened up that channel to spirits, then they’ll know about it later.’
A medium all her life, Julie said that those untrained in energies may find themselves at the mercy of ‘unscrupulous’ characters looking to take advantage of them.
Julie said: ‘You get people who were unscrupulous, people who would take advantage and people who were very very sinister here and you get the same in spirits.
Poundland said the sale of the product is restricted to over 18s and the product is labelled ‘for adults only’ (Pictured: stock image of Poundland store)
‘Their personality is still who they are [in spirit form].
‘If a darker energy attaches itself to someone who’s naive they can just take advantage – they can cause stress and worry.
‘They’ll give them information that’s right then all of a sudden this board will spell out something like there’s going to be a fatal accident or one of your parents is going to be killed.
‘They’ll say something horrendous and have that person worried because the other things they’ve given have been true.
‘It can cause a lot of stress, the spirit can start to manipulate through their mind – giving them bad thoughts and giving them thoughts of suicidal tendencies.
‘It can almost cause suicide in the long-term so it’s very, very dangerous.’
A Poundland spokesman said: ‘Poundland is the home for Halloween and the Spirit Board is part of this year’s extensive Halloween Decoration range.
‘We understand the spirits shook in disbelief when they were told it was only £1. Just wait until people see the Voodoo dolls.’
