By Charles Tang, Zoe Huang, Vivi Cheng
A team of Japanese scientists has been inventing masks with special filters that will glow under UV light if the filters contain the novel coronavirus.
Problems with the Existing COVID-19 Tests
The existing COVID-19 tests include antigen test, antibody test, and PCR test. All of them might be troublesome and frightening to some people owing to the use of nasal swabs. During the tests, a long nasal swab should be put into subjects’ nostrils for specimen collection. This process indeed makes many people uncomfortable. Besides, if people want to get screened at home, they should buy COVID-19 testing kits at pharmacies or convenience stores, and they should use the nasal swabs inside the kits on their own. However, the testing kits are not cheap, and the process of using nasal swabs without the help of professionals might trigger some safety concerns.
Materials of the Glowing Masks
Aiming to provide the general public with an easier, safer, and cheaper way to get screened for COVID-19, a team of scientists at Kyoto Prefectural University has been working on the development of masks that are able to detect coronavirus by glowing under UV light, and they have successfully created a prototype as of now. Headed by Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, the president of Kyoto Prefectural University, the team began by making a special filter coated with ostrich antibodies and placed within the layers of masks. The reason why ostrich antibodies were utilized is that ostriches are shown to have strong resistance to the novel coronavirus. In February 2020, the team injected an inactive form of the coronavirus into female ostriches and successfully extracted antibodies from their eggs.
Experiments and Effectiveness
In a small experiment, the participants had worn the masks with special filters for about 8 hours. Then, the filters were removed and sprayed with a fluorescent dye. The filters worn by people infected with COVID-19 glowed around the nose and mouth areas. Moreover, as Tsukamoto expanded the scale of his experiment to 150 participants, he found himself positive for COVID-19. The experimental mask he wore glowed when being checked, and his diagnosis was confirmed with a standard screening. Judging from the above-mentioned, the masks seem to be effective. Nevertheless, more studies and experiments should be conducted to pinpoint the effectiveness of the masks.
Envisions
As further testing continues to put the glowing masks into practical use, the team aspires to gain the approval from the Japanese government to sell the masks in 2022. “We can mass-produce antibodies from ostriches at a low cost. In the future, I want to make this into an easy testing kit that anyone can use," Tsukamoto said. If this invention is successfully brought on the market, the general public can get tested in an easier, safer, and cheaper way. On the other hand, the need for the paramedic at screening sites can be reduced; that is, more manpower can be saved.
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