It’s becoming increasingly difficult to remember a time before face masks. With the government extending its Covid-19 legislation to make face coverings compulsory in shops and takeaways, it seems that we will be wearing masks for the foreseeable future. While many have praised the widespread use of cloth and plastic masks, there are still some doubts about their effectiveness in fighting the outbreak. Many are concerned that these masks can harbour germs for days, possibly even acting as incubators for the virus. Luckily, a solution may be close at hand.
New research suggests that a copper-infused mask could kill Coronavirus in as little as 60 seconds. UK medical tech start-up Copper Clothing has been experimenting with copper masks for a while, since discovering that the metal can eliminate up to 99.9% of bacteria in just four hours. With help from researchers in South Korea, the company believes that it can now reduce this time to less than a minute.
Chris Donnely from Copper Clothing explains how the Coronavirus outbreak forced the company to step up its existing research:
“The pandemic we are facing has forced everyone to re-evaluate our approach to preventing the spread of viruses. Fortunately, the team at Copper Clothing has been doing the testing and research for years to provide products to aid in fighting bacteria, fungi and viruses. It may surprise many to know that the material you find in a penny may actually be the solution. Copper is known to kill coronavirus in four hours and now our patented technology has reduced this time to 60 seconds.”
Early indications are encouraging. An independent trial by NHS Croydon recommended that the government should be looking to integrate copper masks into its Covid-19 strategy as soon as possible. The study also highlighted the huge potential savings that the relatively cheap technology could provide for healthcare bodies the world over.
The simplest solutions are sometimes the best. If Copper Clothing is able to deliver on its promises, we might have found an easy way to stop Covid-19 in its tracks.
source: thelondoneconomic.com
0 comments