Researchers to develop anti-COVID-19 coating for PPE

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have been awarded £615k funding from UKRI to develop a new antiviral coating for PPE to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19.

Led by Dr. Raechelle D’Sa and supported by Dr. Jenny Hanson, from the University’s School of Engineering, the project aims to develop a new coating with antiviral and antifouling properties that can be readily applied to PPE surfaces, such as face visors.

The project will also investigate how long the COVID-19 virus survives on visors and antiviral coated visors under a wide range of conditions in order to better understand how to minimize the transmission of infection.

COVID-19 is transmitted by infectious individuals through large respiratory droplets generated by coughing, sneezing, or speaking which can also survive on surfaces. Whilst PPE plays a crucial role in interrupting the transmission of COVID-19, research has found that a high level of viral load and the process of putting PPE on and taking it off presents an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The disposal of contaminated PPE also presents a further transmission risk as does growing concern regarding single-use PPE and its impact on the environment.

Dr. Raechelle D’Sa, an expert in the design of antimicrobial materials and therapeutics, said: “This project will use our expertise to produce an innovative new antiviral and antifouling coating which can be used on PPE to protect staff working in healthcare settings.”

“This is a potential low-cost technology solution, that once proven can be taken forward in a relatively short timescale to provide additional protection from COVID-19 to healthcare workers.”

The project is funded by the UKRI COVID19 Rapid Response Call that supports research and innovation that address problems related to COVID-19.

The project involves co-investigators from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Trust, and the University of Toronto.

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