British Army disinfectant kills 99% of coronavirus cells

LONDON: A disinfectant spray created by the British Army is to go on general sale after it was found to kill 99.99 percent of coronavirus cells within a minute of coming into contact with them, the Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.

Over 50,000 recyclable bottles of the spray, called Virusend, are being handed out to members of the UK military working at coronavirus testing stations, while it is set to be priced at £7.99 ($10.76) for the general public to buy.

Developed using army and government grant funds, it uses compressed air rather than flammable propellant gas. The technology was developed by Pritchard Spray Technology Ltd.

The company’s CEO Michael Pritchard said: “This pioneering spray will change the way we combat this and all future pandemics. This has been a truly unique collaboration that showcases what we, the UK, can achieve.”

Virusend was trialled at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LTSM). “Significant reduction is seen within one minute of contact with the virus, meaning Virusend is highly effective at inactivating SARS-CoV-2,” said LTSM’s Dr. Grant Hughes.

It is also being used at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS (National Health Service) Trust on wards used by coronavirus patients, and other wings including operating theaters.

The director of the National Institute for Health Research’s Surgical MedTech Co-operative, Prof. David Jayne, said: “If the clinical trials are successful, we hope that the technology will be made widely available to help protect our staff and patients.”