Green is busy. He is an associate athletic director at George Mason University, he’s going around the country and talking to kids with Centene Corporation’s, “Strong Youth Strong Communities,” and is linked up with Halodine to help promote the Bethesda-based company’s nasal antiseptic that claims to be effective in killing COVID-19.
“It does not cure the virus, but it does stop you from catching the virus if you get it in you,” Green said. “I don’t go out of the house without it. The research is there, but still wear your mask. Our slogan is masks are not enough, but wear your mask and wash your hands and follow all the protocols.”
The COVID-19 virus spreads from the nose and mouth, and Halodine is used to sanitize the nose and mouth. In 99.9% of cases, research studies have demonstrated Halodine to rapidly inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19 within 15 seconds of contact. After application to the nose or mouth, Halodine is expected to provide four hours of protection from COVID-19.
Green became connected with Halodine through a family friendship with a Columbia University doctor who tested positive for the coronavirus and then turned to Halodine as way to protect himself as he returned to work.
“Columbia University has had success in using Halodine,” Green said. “The president of the school told me that in the last three months there have been thousands and thousands of people in and out of the school’s labs and not one positive test for coronavirus.”
Halodine is currently being used by the Washington Football Team and Green is in conversations with other NFL teams. Again, Halodine is not a cure for COVID-19, but Green believes it should be considered an extra layer of protection that adds confidence to every day consumers, especially younger college-aged kids who are trying to navigate this pandemic.
“Kids want to go and fly like they used to fly,” Green said. “They think, ‘I’m a bird and I want to fly and I don’t want to be in a cage.’ That’s where Halodine comes in. It makes them comfortable psychologically knowing they are using something else to stay safe.”
As an associate athletic director at George Mason, a big part of Green’s life is dealing with the younger generation — and for him, that extends well beyond the Fairfax campus. Almost 30 years ago, Green started programming to reach out and establish a dialogue with middle and high school students.
Through a partnership with health care company Centene, Green has been able to participate in “Strong Youth Strong Communities” summits. Green is often joined by fellow football Hall of Famers Aeneas Williams and Anthony Munoz to hold open talks about a wide range of topics from bullying to mental health.
“We call our Hall of Fame jackets and our Super Bowl rings our keys,” said Green. “We use them to get in the door and then we are able to talk about anything. We need to let these kids know they are valued and that we care about them. Just one conversation with one person can make a difference. Being around these kids, I am inspired. They give me hope for the future.”
