New antiviral masks from Israel may help stop deadly coronavirus
Disposable facemasks cannot block all pathogens and do not kill them. A used and discarded mask can even become a vector for disease as the pathogens multiply in its fibers.
That’s why washable, reusable masks with anti-pathogen properties could provide a potent prevention tool against the 2019-nCoV and other coronaviruses that have evolved into more severe illnesses, such as SARS and MERS.
Two Israeli companies are rushing to complete development of facemasks that could be vital prevention tools in epidemics like Wuhan coronavirus.
Sonovia’s ultrasonic fabric-finishing technology, invented by two Bar-Ilan University chemistry professors, mechanically infuses antiviral, antimicrobial zinc and copper oxide nanoparticles into textiles for facemasks and other protective products.
Sonovia hosted visitors from China earlier this week and is receiving “nonstop calls” following media exposure.
Jerusalem-based Argaman is nearing commercialization of a reusable, washable, breathable antiviral facemask called Bio-Block.
It’s made from a proprietary cotton embedded with accelerated copper oxide particles, and a nanofiber textile that blocks pathogens.
The pores of the nanofiber pad are so small that bacteria cannot go through it — nor a droplet that contains a live virus –and the EPA-approved 100% CottonX fibers destroy the pathogens that come in contact with it.
The mask not only blocks the virus but kills the viruses going both to the wearer and away from the wearer in case the wearer is infected.
NOTE: Either of these products are NOT tested with 2019-nCoV coronavirus.
මුං ගූ බෙටි එවලා රෙප් කපලා හුකන පොටෝ එවලා ඒවා ගැන කියපු සේරටම
