Medi-Immune's PPE awaits testing results for protection against Covid-19
UK-based R&D company Medi-Immune Ltd has launched ProtectivAir, which it plans to roll out to protect frontline healthcare workers from Covid-19
The compact, wearable, breathing device is filter-free and biologically sterilises inhaled air. It is currently awaiting testing against the coronavirus at PHE Porton Down, although Medi-Immune notes that having already proven extremely effective against a range of viral and bacterial pathogens, the product is likely to be similarly effective against Covid-19.
For those craving a little more in-depth information, on its website, Medi-Immune explains: “Within the filter-free irradiation chamber, energetic UVc photons pass through the infecting micro-organisms, damaging their nucleic acid (RNA or DNA), which disables their ability to replicate and infect the body.”
ProtectivAir disables airborne pathogens before they are inhaled, immediately protects the user from infection, doesn’t use a filter, and tests to date indicate that the resulting antigens trigger the body’s immune response.
Medi-Immune writes: “With the emergence and rapid spread of Covid-19 coronavirus, we at Medi-Immune are working to bring our Personal Protective Equipment device, ProtectivAir, to the attention of key national and international decision makers who can complete the development in the shortest possible timescales, so that health workers, first responders and other critical groups can be better protected during this pandemic.”