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Stopping the spread of COVID-19: disinfecting public spaces in China

24 April 2020 UNIDO

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中文版 

The COVID-19 outbreak brought Chinese society, especially cities such as Wuhan, to a standstill but not the science and technology. As WU Yabin, chief representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) in Beijing, explained, “Every sector and industry in China is doing its bit in the fight against the pandemic, including many high-tech companies, which not only donate money and materials but also take advantage of their strengths to make contributions. Many new technologies and products debuted during the epidemic, helping healthcare workers fighting on the frontline, as well as enabling socio-economic life to return to normality.”

 

One such company is Beijing Infinite Protection Company which is dedicated to the research and development of new disinfection technology. The company’s long-lasting and non-toxic disinfection products use a physical-static method to disinfect, which is safe for both humans and the environment. The disinfection and sterilization effect of each spray can last over 30 days, making it safer and more effective than traditional disinfection techniques, which cause skin irritation and need to be performed frequently. It is also far less damaging to the environment and takes less time and effort to apply.

 

ITPO Beijing introduced and recommended the company to the relevant government departments in Wuhan, and thanks to UNIDO’s collaborative network, the company was able to agree exemption from certain restrictions on logistics and personnel travel. SONG Jian, the chief executive officer of Beijing Infinite Protection Company, led a team to Wuhan, arriving on 22 February. He provided the company’s existing stock of high-tech disinfection products as a donation and deployed staff to disinfect all key areas with public health concerns, including hospitals – among them the Wuhan Union Hospital and field-module hospitals – medical centres, police stations, prisons and frontline checkpoints.

 

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After being sprayed on surfaces, the disinfectant quickly solidifies and forms positively charged nanothorns of silicon crystal that draw and penetrate negatively charged molecules of bacteria and viruses, stopping their metabolism and killing them without harming humans.

 

The company’s disinfection product was assessed by the mobile nucleic-acid test laboratory of the Chinese Cente for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) which concluded that “one application provides a long-lasting effect to kill microorganisms continuously. The over 200 tested samples came back negative for the novel coronavirus, which provides a great lesson for future infection control at hospitals.” 

 

The product is the first disinfection and sterilization product to pass the China CDC’s nucleic-acid test during the pandemic, earning Beijing Infinite Protection Company high praise from the National Health Commission and disease-prevention medical institutions in and around the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province. 

Beijing Infinite Protection Company was founded in 2017, and its long-lasting, non-toxic disinfection products are already used by hospitals such as Beijing Jishuitan Hospital and Xiaotangshan Hospital. 

Company CEO Song said, “The idea of the company is to allow people to enjoy a healthier and better life with the help of science and technology. Thus I am really willing to contribute to the scientific and technological fight against the pandemic in response to UNIDO’s call.”

He expressed his gratitude to UNIDO for “building a bridge between high-tech companies and the government through its collaborative networks (in China)”.

 

UNIDO ITPO Beijing is currently conducting research with the Chinese government, international organizations and foundations, and industrial platforms to develop an international platform for smart medicine innovation and industrial collaboration.