Hong Kong scientists say new antiviral coating can protect surfaces for 90 days

A man demonstrates how to spray MAP-1, an antimicrobial coating that a team of university researchers claimed to be effective in killing virus, bacteria and spore, at a bedspace apartment in Hong Kong, China April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Yoyo Chow

HONG KONG (Reuters) - 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.