Procedures, actions and activities
Our environment has adapted to minimise the spread of coronavirus. Innovations in the field of sterilisers and disinfectants have been and will be coupled with other innovations for how to apply these sanitary materials to our homes, workplaces, transport means and leisure facilities. Ensuring and maintaining clean air supplies also plays a vital role in securing a safe environment for our daily routines.
Clean room technologies concern methods and equipment to contain e.g. fumes or vapours and safely process them, e.g. through extractor hoods, as well as devices for preventing fouling (e.g. preventing the build-up of matter).
- Chambers or hoods for preventing escape of matter from an area
- Preventing escape of dirt or fumes from the area where they are produced
- Preventing fouling
The air that we breathe is as essential to viral spread as it is to us. Providing and maintaining clean air plays a key role in the fight against coronavirus.
- Air treatment in general, related to coronavirus
- Cleaning / purification of air
- Ventilation to avoid recirculation of contaminated air
- Air treatment control to avoid virus infection other than ventilation
- Air treatment with detection of features concerning the virus / occupant in the space
- Screening to prevent intrusion of the virus
There are many different types of plastics, and some can be made in such a way as to have antiviral/antibacterial properties and/or to have coatings that act as a barrier against viruses, bacteria and other pathogenic organisms.
- Casting and injection-moulding methods to produce plastic articles having antiviral/antibacterial properties and/or forming a barrier against viruses, bacteria and other pathogens
- Plastic coating methods for articles having an anti-pathogen barrier and/or a layer with antiviral/antibacterial properties
- Plastic-containing articles such as securities for medical use, special materials of securities, materials of printed sheets and control cards
- Methods of making products having layers with imprinted surfaces that exhibit antiviral properties, for example those having lotus effect (self-cleaning).
Disinfectants are often more effective when delivered as sprays, so that the aerosol droplets reach further and wider. Sprayers for disinfectants come in many sizes for different roles.
- Spraying of disinfectants, by smaller hand-held unitary sprayers
- Spraying of disinfectants, by sprayers with separate containers or supply line, mounted on vehicles, drones or hand-held spray guns
- Sterilising objects involving spraying
- Sterilising air involving spraying
- Delivery of medicament to respiratory tract by spraying
Depending on what needs to be cleaned, the processes for disinfecting will need to the tailored accordingly - from cleaning hands, to lavatories to vehicles.
- UV disinfection using a photocatalyst
- Disinfection with ozone
- Thermal treatment
- Ultrasound treatment
- Disinfection of air using sprayed liquid and UV
- Disinfection of aircrafts using UV
- Cleaning aircraft
- Disinfection of lavatories using sprayed liquids
- Disinfection of hands using sprayed liquid
- Disinfection of masks
- Disinfection of elevators
- Disinfection of handrails
- Disinfection of shoes
- Disinfection of handles
- Disinfection of shopping carts
- Disinfection of garments
Protecting medical practitioners is as important as protecting the patients they are treating - protection must work both ways. Doctors, surgeons and nurses use especially thorough cleaning practices.
- Cleaning instruments, surgeon's or patient's skin
- Shielding patient or surgeon, creating aseptic environment
Negative pressure ventilators (so-called "iron-lung", cuirass or tank ventilators) are usually non-invasive, so patients would not need to have their lungs intubated. The patients can remain conscious, take medication and nutrition by mouth and talk freely. Some versions can be used on a normal ward, keeping patients out of intensive care.
- Mechanical ventilation without intubation
- Mechanical ventilation without intubation (an alternative selection from a broader range)
- Mechanical ventilation using the same pump for pressure and vacuum, not being driven at the respiratory rate
- Mechanical ventilation driven at the respiratory rate
- Mechanical ventilation using feedback from the sensors connected to the patient
Cleaning or washing in a domestic environment is generally carried out using appliances such as vacuum cleaners, dishwashers and scrubbers or implements such as mops, dusters, cloths, pads and sponges. The following concept provides an overview of different types of washing and cleaning to avoid the spread of the virus.
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