Scientists have found a way to make surfaces more virus resistant
They found that the wettability and texture of the surface play a role in curbing the spread of Covid-19
This could change how hospital equipment and frequently touched surfaces are constructed
Researchers have found a way to design and construct surfaces in order to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The study published in
Physics of Fluids explored how the way surfaces are designed can help reduce the survival time of SARS-CoV-2 on these surfaces.
Designing
The scientists based their experiment on background studies showing that if a respiratory droplet from a person infected with Covid-19 lands on a surface, it becomes a potential source of disease. Although 99.9% of the droplet evaporates within a few minutes, a thin residual film that remains on the surface allows the virus to survive.
Could antiviral surface designs help reduce SARS-CoV-2’s spread?
It is now widely known that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), spreads via respiratory droplets. The persistence of the aerosol in the environment largely determines the success of the viral transmission.
In addition, the virus-laden droplets can also deposit on various surfaces by forming a fomite. While wearing masks and maintaining social distances help to mitigate the spread of the virus, the common surfaces that we touch contribute to this secondary source of viral transmission.
When a respiratory droplet from a COVID-19 infected person or an asymptomatic carrier lands on a surface, it is highly potent for transmissibility. Although about 99% of the liquid evaporates from the droplet, a thin layer of moisture remains, which keeps the virus viable. While frequent sanitation or the application of cold atmospheric
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IMAGE: Surfaces with taller and closely packed pillars with a contact angle of around 60 degrees show the strongest antiviral effect or shortest drying time. view more
Credit: S. Chatterjee, J.S. Murallidharan, A. Agrawal, and R. Bhardwaj
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2021 If a respiratory droplet from a person infected with COVID-19 lands on a surface, it becomes a possible source of disease spread. This is known as the fomite route of disease spread, in which the aqueous phase of the respiratory droplet serves as a medium for virus survival.
The lifespan of the respiratory droplet dictates how likely a surface is to spread a virus. While 99.9% of the droplet s liquid content evaporates within a few minutes, a residual thin film that allows the virus to survive can be left behind.
The novel coronavirus may survive for far lesser time on porous surfaces such as paper and clothes than on impermeable surfaces like glass and plastic, a study by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay suggests.