Reporter: Stuart Littleford
Medi-Immune Ltd have revealed their ProtectivAir® compact, wearable, breathing device which will protect front-line healthcare staff and those
ProtectivAir® in use on a medical professional
working in biologically-compromised environments. ProtectivAir® is currently awaiting testing against the Coronavirus at PHE Porton Down. ProtectivAir® has proven extremely effective against a range of viral and bacterial pathogens and is extremely likely to be similarly effective against SARS-Cov-2 (Covid-19).
ProtectivAir® provides four crucial protections:
- Disables airborne pathogens before they are inhaled
- Immediately protects the user from infection
- Does not use a filter, this allied with an optional, small positive air pressure generated by the device, provides far better protection from leakage than existing mask systems
- Tests to date indicate the resulting antigens trigger the body’s immune response
Public Health England – at their Porton Down laboratories, have validated the test results – confirming both protection and the initiation of an immune response.** ProtectivAir® is now fully developed, and could be in production in weeks, providing protection and saving lives long before production and deployment of a vaccine. Medimmune believe that with appropriate resources, ProtectivAir® could be in full production within weeks.
ProtectivAir® offers superior operator protection over N95/99 and FFP3 face masks as well as much improved breathability and ease of use for the wearer. There is no requirement for fit testing. ProtectivAir® is completely reusable, internally self-sterilising (the outside can be surface decontaminated) and does not suffer from reduced efficacy over time (like conventional face masks).
Infectious diseases emerge at a frequency of one every 8 months of which a proportion are pathogens, transmitted as aerosols. Emerging respiratory diseases do, and will, continue to cause havoc within the world’s population, as is happening now with Covid-19. ProtectivAir®’s long shelf-life means it can be stockpiled for use in future outbreaks.
ProtectivAir® is an all-British invention, patented internationally, and represents a paradigm shift in respiratory protection. UVc has long been known and used as a way to sterilise surfaces and instruments but this novel application harnesses this technology to sterilise breathing air to protect users/wearers of the device.
PHE test results HERE
Explanatory video HERE
Medi-Immune web site HERE
We have proven the protective efficacy of ProtectivAir® but further investigation is required into the parameters surrounding the additional immune stimulation effect. This effect has been observed in studies using the Influenza virus but as yet uncharacterised; this immune stimulation effect offers a rapid solution to emerging pathogens as it does not require development, manufacture and dissemination of a conventional vaccine.
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