Washington (AFP)
A new weapon against the Covid-19? An anti-microbial coating would be able to remove coronavirus from surfaces for up to 90 days in a single application, according to a preliminary study published on Friday.
Researchers at the University of Arizona, whose work has not yet been peer reviewed, found that the proportion of viruses on surfaces coated with this product decreased by 90% in 10 minutes and by 99 .9% in two hours.
"I think it is especially important for surfaces that are widely used like metros and buses, because you can disinfect them but the next people who come to recontaminate them," said Charles Gerba, the main author. of the study.
The University of Arizona team tested a coating specifically designed to act against viruses developed by the company Allied BioScience, which also funded their study.
The scientist called the technology "a new advance in infection control".
"It does not replace regular cleaning and disinfection," warned Gerba, "but it covers you between disinfection and cleaning."
The colorless substance is sprayed onto the surfaces, and must be reapplied every three or four months.
The coating denatures the proteins of the virus and attacks its protective layer.
The researchers tested on human coronavirus 229E, which has a similar structure and genetics to SARS-CoV-2, but which only causes mild symptoms of the common cold and is therefore safer to use.
The so-called self-disinfecting coating technology has been around for almost a decade and has been used before in hospitals to fight the spread of infections, including bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
A 2019 article by researchers at the University of Arizona found that coatings reduce hospital-acquired infections by 36%.
© 2020 AFP