DISCLAIMER: This diary in no way advocates replacing copper for the current protocols: washing hands often for 20 seconds, keeping a physical distance from one another and disinfecting your household and your person regularly, especially after arriving home. I never leave home without my hand sanitizer and neither should you. I have adapted “what nurses and doctors do” protocol that was posted by another diarist.
- 1. When you come home try not to touch anything
- 2. Remove your gloves carefully and throw them away and wash your hands. (If you live with others, disinfect faucet knobs with Lysol/alcohol before touching.)
- 3. Take off your shoes
- 4. Disinfect your pet's paw if you were walking it.
- 5. Take off your outer clothing and put it in a laundry bag.
- 6. Shower or, if you are not able, wash all exposed areas. Hands, wrists face, neck, etc.
- 7. Clean your phone and glasses with soap and water or alcohol.
- 8. Clean the surfaces of what you have brought from outside with bleach before storing.
- 9. Blow your nose (even if not runny) and rinse your nostrils with saline if you have it. Roll up some tissue and clean out your nostrils after the prodeedure.
I do all these things but I have added copper for an additional layer of protection.
I was searching for products with antiviral properties that I could purchase since Lysol was sold out in my area. I found out how to make my own homemade Lysol using rubbing alcohol (70% at least) as the main ingredient but alas, also sold out in my area. I had to settle for 150 over-proof rum—very pricey. Serendipitously, I stumbled upon an article about the antimicrobial and antiviral properties of Copper.
Copper Destroys Viruses and Bacteria. Why Isn’t It Everywhere?
After reading this I thought copper would not be useful as it takes four hours to kill viruses, according to the article. This was based on a study conducted at NCBI in 2011. However, they only tested one virus using the “wet” method only that did show the four hour time laps to kill. They did not test the “dry” method on the virus which seemed to show killing pathogens on contact or within minutes.
In most studies on contact killing, a “wet” inoculation technique was used by applying typically 20 μl of cell suspensions to coupons. While this is a valid approach for laboratory testing, it might not mimic well the dry copper surfaces encountered in health care environments. In an alternative “dry” method, a small volume of liquid is applied to coupons with a cotton swab. The thin film of liquid evaporates within seconds and allows direct contact of all cells with the metal surface. Under these conditions, E. coli and other bacteria were inactivated within a few minutes of exposure (11-13). This suggests that dry metallic copper surfaces are even more antimicrobial than moist ones, which raises interesting questions about the mechanism of contact killing.
Digging a bit more I found another article from 2015 published by the University of Southampton that indicates that copper can kill coronavirus on contact in minutes, not hours.
On copper, and a range of copper alloys – collectively termed ‘antimicrobial copper’ – the coronavirus was rapidly inactivated (within a few minutes, for simulated fingertip contamination). Exposure to copper destroyed the virus completely and irreversibly, leading the researchers to conclude that antimicrobial copper surfaces could be employed in communal areas and at any mass gatherings to help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses and protect public health.
We are the greatest country in the world, yet Chile was ahead of the game seven years ago!?!
Finally found another science based tidbit. Copper surfaces have “a halo” effect up to 19 inches.
“Now further research carried out in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) at Aghia Sofia Children’s Hospital in Greece shows that, as well as contamination being 90% lower on copper surfaces, they also exert a ‘halo’ effect, with non-copper surfaces up to 50cm away also exhibiting a reduction of around 70% compared to surfaces not in such close proximity.”
While it is obviously not practical to retrofit all hospitals now with copper, it is certainly something we need to consider in the future for the reduction of not only COVID-19 but all pathogens that easily spread via surfaces.
I have ordered two products on Amazon with copper. A little roller that fits on your keychain and can be rolled in between your fingers as well as stuck up your nostrils and copper foil tape to cover all doorknobs and surfaces that are touched regularly in my apartment.
I have never said this is a substitute for not washing hands or using hand sanitizer. This is just an additional layer we can all add. I also sanitize the copper when I get home before touching it.
I apologize for forgetting the rules in my first post, however, I thought it really unfair to be treated in this manner after correcting my post without justification.
This is how I use my extra layer of protection.
I carry a small copper tube that I will put up my nostrils for one minute.
I have an 8 ½ by 11-inch paper with copper foil and wrap my wallet with it overnight.
I have covered frequently touched surfaces like my refrigerator handles and doorknobs.
Let us do all we can do.
