JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A video that has gone viral shows a young girl licking a tongue depressor at a Jacksonville, Florida, doctor’s office and putting it back in the jar with the others.
A sign posted above the jar reads "PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH MEDICAL SUPPLIES! THANK YOU!"
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WJAX-TV spoke to the woman who recorded the video, the girl's mother, Cori Ward.
When asked what was going through her mind when she took the video, Ward replied, “I mean honestly, I wasn’t thinking.”
According to Ward, she shared the video on her personal Snapchat with a few of her friends.
It has since been posted to Facebook by someone else.
Ward said the video doesn’t show what happened after the camera stopped rolling.
She claimed, “I removed the items that were even surrounding it.”
The mother of five said she’s receiving death threats from people who believe she’s participating in social media’s "licking challenge" and she said she knew nothing about the trend.
“It’s horrible. I mean, I’m scared for my kids, especially, my oldest that’s out and on her own since they posted her photo,” she said.
Ward said she notified doctors at the office where this happened.
WJAX-TV is not disclosing the name of the location, because staffers are not accused of doing anything wrong.
Staff at the office said they’re taking the necessary steps to make sure their patients are safe.
Dr. Sunil Joshi, an allergist and immunologist not associated with the office shown in the video told WJAX-TV the actions could have serious health consequences.
Joshi explained, “This is how viral infection spreads, right, through respiratory droplets – and here you’re putting saliva on a tongue depressors that you’re putting straight into someone’s mouth.”
Ward apologized and said she never should have taken the video.
She said, “I know what it’s like to, you know, have to worry about your kids health and stuff. I would never put somebody else’s kid at risk.”
Cox Media Group
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