The reason why masks are recommended during the pandemic is because one of the ways COVID-19 spreads is through droplets, which occur when we speak, cough, or sneeze. Wearing a mask stops those droplets from coming out of us, and it also can stop droplets from landing on our face area like mouth and nose.However, these masks, even N95 ones, aren’t 100% effective. They might come very close, but there is still a small chance that it could get by. However, researchers in Mexico claim to have created a new type of face mask that they say has the ability to neutralize COVID-19.
This is achieved by using silver and copper nanolayers weaved into the mask, where if the virus were to make its way into the mask or land on it, it should be neutralized. The researchers tested the mask by taking drops with the virus from COVID-19 positive patients and placed them onto the silver-copper film deposited into polypropylene.
With low viral loads, the virus disappeared after about 2 hours, while higher viral loads saw the virus disappear after around 8 hours. According to the researchers, “Upon contact with the silver-copper nanolayer, the Sars-CoV-2 membrane breaks and its RNA is damaged. Thus, even if SakCu is disposed of improperly, it will not be a problem as it does not remain contaminated, like many of the masks that are thrown away.”
That being said, this mask isn’t being mass produced yet so you can’t just buy them from a shop. Also, another important thing to note is that the research has not yet been peer reviewed, so that’s something to keep in mind, but the concept sounds promising and maybe it could lead to more effective masks in the future.
Filed in . Read more about Coronavirus, Covid-19, Health, Science and Social Hit. Source: reuters