The Role of Smart Textiles To Face the Coronavirus: Prospects and Opportunities

A novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for generating an infectious respiratory disease called COVID-19, which has quickly evolved into a global pandemic in just over two months [1]. In record time, the scientific world has achieved remarkable progress has been made in biological and medical research, including identifying the virus, sequencing its genes, and resolving cogent protein structures. As well as, the manufacture of testing and diagnosis kits, development of vaccines trials, and antiviral drugs are also being accelerated [2,3].
The WHO Director-General commented within his opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 29 June 2020, about the importance to accelerate research about the tools we need [4]. In this context, considering that the healthcare professionals are at the frontline, working to contain and to mitigate the spread of this disease, and therefore, they are exposed to the Sar-Cov-2 virus for long hours and under high viral loads.
The Personal Protection Equipment (EPP) used by healthcare professionals tending COVID-19 patients includes facial masks or respirators, protective suits, spill gowns, gloves, boot covers, and goggles or face shields, and as mentioned by Kang et.al. they need to wear it continuously for extended hours [5]. Additionally, in recent years there has been a need to improve both the materials and the design of the EPP, e.g, more than five years ago Locatelli et.al pointed out the need to improve the functionality, comfort and performance of the facial masks such as N95 aspirators [6].
Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to develop alternatives to safeguard the health of health professionals while ensuring their comfort and convenience. The smart textiles materials can help develop more adaptive, skin-friendly materials and plus an interface design to ensure good seal over extended periods of time and changing skin conditions due to perspiration. E.g, Kunitoshi et al. [7] reported the effect of cotton textiles containing Cu2+ held by zeolites (CuZeo-textile) on the inactivation of H5 subtype viruses. They found evidence that revealed the rapid destruction of virions of H5 viruses by the Cu2+ in the CuZeo-textile [7]. At that time, smart textile materials and nanotechnology can represent an alternative to reduce the COVID-19 spread, particularly in critical areas, such as healthcare facilities and public places.

1. WHO (2020) WHO Director-General’s Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on Covid-19, USA.
2. Lu R, Zhao X, Li J, Niu P, Yang B, et al. (2020) Genomic characterization and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: Implications for virus origins and receptor binding. Lancet 395: 565-574.
3. Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W, Li X, Yang B, et al. (2020) A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China. N Engl J Med 382: 727-733.
4. WHO (2020) WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19, USA.
5. Kang J, Donnell J, Colaianne M, Bircher B, Ren N, et al. (2017) Use of personal protective equipment among health care personnel: Results of clinical observations and simulations. Am J Infect Control 45: 17-23.
6. Locatelli SM, LaVela SL, Gosch M (2014) Health care workers’ reported discomfort while wearing filtering face-piece respirators. Workplace Health Saf 62: 362-368.
7. Kunitoshi I, Haruko O, Vuong NB, Hiroshi I, Jiro F, et al. (2012) Inactivation of high and low pathogenic avian influenza virus H5 subtypes by copper ions incorporated in zeolite-textile materials. Antiviral Research 93(2): 225-233.