A new disinfectant spray developed by the British Army can kill the coronavirus in just 60 seconds and costs less than £8.
This military-grade formula is called Virusend and has been shown to be 99.99 percent effective in killing the virus that causes COVID-19: SARS-CoV-2.
The Army is already using it at COVID-19 testing sites in Medway, Kent, and Preston, Lancs.
The spray was developed by Essex inventor Michael Pritchard MBE, who came up with the successful formula during the first lockdown. Now, more than 50,000 bottles are being distributed to military personnel working alongside the NHS at COVID-19 testing stations across the country.
Dr. Pritchard, 50, worked on the eco-friendly antiviral spray alongside British Army innovation experts.
Virusend was rigorously tested for five weeks in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) Level 3 biosafety laboratory. Experts from the world-renowned institute found the spray to be 99.99% effective in killing coronavirus in just 60 seconds.
“We tested the Virusend formula on a strain of SARS-CoV-2,” said Dr. Grant Hughes.
“Our tests show this product is highly effective at reducing SARS-CoV-2. This significant reduction is seen within one minute of contact with the virus, meaning Virusend is highly effective at inactivating SARS-CoV-2,” he added.
The aerosol is also undergoing clinical evaluation at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in seven clinical settings.
Virusend is the only commercially available surface product in the UK that currently meets the BSEN: 14776 and BSEN: 16777 British and European standards requirements. Instead of flammable gases VOC, it uses compressed air, is recyclable and reusable.
The Army donated 2,000 aerosols for testing to help the health system.
Lt. Col. James Cackett, CO 35 Engineer Regiment (EOD&S) and Medway Resilience Unit commander commented: “The troops who are now working in Medway have welcomed the deployment of this additional force protection measure.”
“Virusend is proving easy to use and will help us keep our work areas safe for everyone,” he added.
Professor David Jayne, director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) MedTech Surgical Cooperative, said: “If the clinical trials are successful, we hope that the technology will be made widely available to help protect our staff and patients.”
The aerosol works with an advanced spray technology, also patented by Dr. Pritchard, which produces a spray of much higher density than others.
Dr. Pritchard successfully launched this innovation on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den program in 2009. It also allows the holder to use the bottle in any direction, even if it is upside down, and permits using 100 percent of the liquid inside.
