HK scientists come up with longer-lasting antiviral coating

Spray test: A researcher demonstrating how to spray MAP-1 on surfaces at an apartment in Hong Kong. — Reuters

HONG KONG: Researchers at a Hong Kong university say they have developed an antiviral coating which could provide 90 days of “significant” protection against bacteria and viruses such as the one causing Covid-19.

The coating, called MAP-1, took 10 years to develop and can be sprayed on surfaces that are frequently used by the public such as elevator buttons and handrails, researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) say.