Spring brings new life, new love, warmer weather and so many other great things. It also brings with it heaps of pollen, and we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of pollen season. While it’s been a pretty easy year in terms of pollen, many of us are still shut indoors and suffering. I may have stumbled upon an easy, cost-effective way to take care of that, though.

I’ve tried just about every product and remedy out there, and one that has intrigued me is an air purifier the size of a mobile phone worn around the neck. This kind of product has been around for a few years, and though there are now more types to choose from, it is usually on the expensive side, in the range of 10,000 yen each.

This pollen season, I came into contact with the Virus Blocker, selling for 924 yen over the Internet. The Virus Blocker hangs around your neck and looks like those ubiquitous Japanese corporate name tags. Tape seals solid chlorine dioxide inside an aluminum bag on the ends of the string. Removing the tape allows the chlorine dioxide to spread through the air a full meter in every direction, oxidizing viruses and bacterial proteins floating around the wearer.

The Virus Blocker prevents airborne pollen droplets from invading your body and eliminates over 90% of bacteria in its one-meter radius in about one minute. The Virus Blocker also works for a full month after the tape is removed.

Gone is the oppressive feeling of a mask on my face all day. Now, I can finally meet with clients without worrying about my muffled voice, or the ring left on my face by the mask if I take it off temporarily. I highly recommend the Virus Blocker to the springtime allergy sufferers of the world.

Source: Koji Hayashida, Web R25