Forget ISIS and the controversy over "Headless Horseman" Halloween decorations. The latest Halloween-themed scandal comes in the form of costumes inspired by the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Halloween costumes including "Ebola zombies, sexy Ebola patients, and faux protective gear" are on the market, according to The Associated Press. "People are definitely asking about an Ebola-type costume," Richard Parrott, president of Ricky's NYC, which sells costumes, told AP. But the company ultimately decided that "it probably crosses a line that we don't want to cross."
Not every brand shared Parrott's sentiment, though — the online costume retailer BrandsOnSale is offering an "Ebola containment suit costume" for $79.99. The costume includes a white Hazmat suit that reads "Ebola," a face shield and mask, safety goggles, and latex gloves. "You are sure to be prepared if any outbreak happens at your Halloween party. This will literally be the most 'viral' costume of the year," the site's product description reads.
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You may just run into an Ebola-costumed partygoer this season — Johnathon Weeks, BrandsOnSale's chief executive, told AP that the company has already sold "about a dozen" of the costumes, and the suit was the site's "most shared item" on social media. "We don't stray away from anything that's current or controversial or anything like that," Weeks told AP.
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