VX is a man-made chemical warfare agent or nerve agent. This toxic agent is an oily liquid that is amber in color, odorless, tasteless and takes a long time to evaporate.

The symptoms will depend on the route, amount and length of time of exposure to VX. You can be exposed by drinking water, eating food, or touching soil that has been contaminated with VX. If VX is released into the air, you can be exposed through inhaling, skin or eye contact. If the chemical has fallen on your clothes, you can expose other individuals to the toxic agent for about 30 minutes after contact.

Symptoms will appear within seconds after exposure to the vapor form of VX and within a few minutes to up to 18 hours after being exposed to the liquid form.

You may not know that you were exposed to VX because it has no odor. If you have been exposed to a low or moderate dose of VX through inhaling, ingesting, skin or eye contact, you may exhibit symptoms of a runny nose, watery eyes, eye pain, a lot of sweating, cough, chest tightness, fast breathing, diarrhea, confusion, weakness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, irregular heart beats and low or high blood pressure. If you are exposed to a large dose of VX, you may exhibit symptoms of loss of consciousness, seizures, and the inability to breathe possibly leading to death.

If the VX was released outdoors, move away from the area to higher grounds. If the VX release was indoors, leave the building and get to fresh air. If the chemical falls on your clothes, remove your clothes and quickly wash your entire body with soap and water. If your eyes are burning or vision is blurred, rinse your eyes with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you wear contact lenses, remove them and place them with the contaminated clothing inside a plastic bag and seal Place the bag into a second plastic bag and seal. Call 911 right away for medical attention right away and removal of the contaminated items. Do not drive yourself to the hospital as you may become very ill on your way.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)