A face mask that can kill the COVID-19 pathogen on contact: This may be a reality soon

Face masks are a protective barrier that brings down your risk of COVID-19. Now a new study reveals that there may be a way to ensure that it can kills viruses on contact.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Updated: May 26, 2020 2:44 pm

You must wear a face mask to protect yourself from airborne droplets that may contain the virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still going strong and the world is waking up to the fact that we may just have to live with the virus for a long time to come. There is no cure or vaccine yet and we may not have one for more than a year. But the world cannot come to a standstill because of this. Therefore, the emphasis on protection and prevention becomes all the more necessary. Social distancing is of utmost importance as is frequent washing of hands. You must also wear a face mask to protect yourself from airborne droplets that may contain the virus. Also Read - Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek test positive for COVID-19 even as cases surge past 8 lakh in India

But the danger with a face mask is that it just provides a protective barrier that prevents the pathogen from reaching your nose and mouth. It does not kill the virus. If you touch the mask and then touch your face, you are at risk of infection. Moreover, you may also get careless sometimes and not dispose of or sanitise the mask immediately after wearing it. This will also put you at risk. But suppose you have a face mask that actually kills the pathogen on contact? This may soon be a possibility, according to a new study. Many experts around the world are looking at ways for fabrics to neutralise its infectivity. This new study from the Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering reveals that there may be a way to develop face masks that can kill the virus on contact. Also Read - Common antivirals may lead to heart failure in COVID-19 patients

Face mask with electric current running though it

Researchers who have used electric fields to create electroceutical bandages that can prevent infections while treating wounds think that the same technique can be used against the new variant of coronavirus that is causing the current pandemic. In fact, they were even able to demonstrate the effectiveness of such fabrics against a known coronavirus in a lab. This suggests that future PPE products can benefit from the technology. According to researchers, by applying an electric current to the exterior of a face mask, they can effectively destroy the virus’s ability to infect cells. Also Read - Abnormally high blood sugar in non-diabetic COVID-19 patients may lead to fatal outcome

Electrostatic technology to the rescue

Electroceuticals are basically medical devices that use electrostatic technology on pharmaceutical products. This technology is already in use for wounds dressing. Vomaris has a polyester product for this purpose. It has little metal dots zinc and silver printed on it. The alternating pattern makes microcell batteries. This generate an electric field when exposed to moisture. This electric field contraption can help heal wounds by preventing infection.

Researchers of this study advocate a similar idea for COVID-19. For the purpose of the study, they used a polyester fabric without the microcell batteries on the surface as a control. Then they exposed both surfaces to a water solution that contained cells with a different respiratory coronavirus at room temperature. They saw that a single minute of contact was enough to significantly reduce the electrokinetic property of the viral particles.

Why this happens

Viruses depend on electrostatic forces to attach themselves to cells. Researchers say that these electroceutical materials use electric fields against the particles. They kept a close watch on the recovered cells and noticed that they were as healthy as non-infected cells. The virus had lost its ability to infect the cells following the exposure to the electric field. Alternatively, the cells in the control fabric were infected.

Implications of the study

Researchers are hopeful that further studies on the subject can lead to new PPE technologies that could be effective not only against COVID-19 but also other pathogens. This brings hope that face masks of the near future may be able to kill viruses and bacteria on contact. But till this becomes a reality, you need to keep your hands away from your face and wear a mask.

Published : May 26, 2020 1:26 pm | Updated:May 26, 2020 2:44 pm

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