'Burn your clothes' Public Health WARNING after Salisbury poison spy attack
HUNDREDS of people have been told to hand in clothes so they can be incinerated in the wake of the Salisbury nerve gas attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
Authorities warn Salisbury public of Skripal poison health risks
The announcement, by Public Health England (PHE) comes more than three weeks after the pair were found unconscious on a park bench after apparently being targeted with a deadly substance known as novichok.
Previous advice issued on March 13 made no mention of clothes needing to disposed of.
But now health officials have concluded that anything which has been bagged up needs to be destroyed by Wiltshire Council.
Jenny Harries, PHE’s deputy medical director, said: “The risk to the general public from this incident remains low and this has not changed.
“The public’s safety is our number one priority and we have adopted a precautionary approach to those who were in the pub or restaurant within the specified time frame.
“We advise that anyone who was wearing clothes that are dry-clean only should continue to store them safely in two plastic bags, securely tied at the top until collection.
“They will now be able to contact the council using the specified details to arrange safe collection of these items.”
A PHE spokesman added: “You will be compensated for any items collected.
“The advice about clothing is precautionary, and is designed to eliminate any potential future risk to health from frequent contact over the long term (weeks and months).”
Vladimir Putin’s Russia is believed to be behind the attack on Mr Skripal and his daughter.
British Prime Minister Theresa May told leaders at last week’s EU summit in Brussels the incident was the latest in what she called “a pattern of aggression” by Russia.
Mr Putin and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov are among those who have issued vehement denials of involvement.
Novichok is one of a series of deadly nerve agents developed by in the Soviet Union between 1971 and 1993.
France, Germany and the United States have all backed the UK’s assessment that Russian involvement is the “only plausible explanation”.