British technology offers ultimate surface protection against Aussie flu virus

War on flu has silver lining - but we're not taking all possible preventative measures...

With breaking news of a more severe Aussie Flu strain heading for the UK, there is a British technology that provides the ultimate surface protection against the virus - reducing it by 99.99%!

Proven in both clinical studies and real life scenarios, BioCote Silver Ion Antimicrobial Technology makes all kinds of surfaces inhospitable to microbes, including viruses such as H1N1 flu (plus a wide range of leading superbugs, fungi and mold) and is easy to include in any infection control strategy.

This new Aussie strain has evolved to have a few different characteristics when compared to the most recent H1N1 pandemic virus of 2009, but they are the same family and one can very reliably predict that the susceptibility to silver will be very similar.

Inhospitable to viruses and bacteria

Simply put, viruses like H1N1 influenza and its derivatives cannot survive on BioCote treated surfaces and technically speaking exposure to BioCote treated materials renders it non-infectious - through protein damage, membrane disruption and DNA interference. And it typically takes just two hours!

What’s more, these ‘invisible’ additives are simply integrated into everyday products at the time of manufacture. They’re environmentally and ecologically acceptable and can be cost effectively added to plastics, paints, textiles, ceramics, paper, board and many other work place and household materials. Because it does not wear out or wipe off surfaces, it provides a continuous and lifelong decontamination effect.

A breath of fresh air

BioCote Antimicrobial Technology is equally effective against the H7N9 strain also known as Avian or Bird Flu, but this virus does not easily infect people because H7N9 has not mutated in a way that makes it transmissible by humans to other humans – up to now. Most of the cases of human infection with H7N9 have reported recent exposure to live poultry or potentially contaminated environments, especially infected surfaces in markets where live birds have been sold.

In short, BioCote antimicrobial technology can successfully be combined with thorough hand-washing practices and regular cleaning to minimize cross-contamination and become an essential and proactive element of infection control in virtually any public, commercial or domestic setting.

The free seasonal flu vaccinations for young children aged 2-8 and people aged 65 and over is the best protection we currently have against this unpredictable virus, but flu can still cause severe illness and death amongst at-risk groups.

With flu viruses being able to survive on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours, currently accepted hand hygiene and cleaning procedures aren’t preventative enough in isolation - and additional measures need to be considered to combat this growing and perpetual health issue.

BioCote's Technical Manager Mike Karavolos is an esteemed professor of microbiology and readily available for informed and authoritative comment on protecting against viruses and superbugs.