Peter A. Johnson
Abstract
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is believed to be transmitted from person to person via droplets, however the United States’ Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that face masks not be worn unless a person is suspected to carry COVID-19 or around someone infected. By putting on a face mask, someone can take precautionary harm reduction steps to spread of disease via coughing, sneezing, speaking, breathing, and eating. However, concerns exist that people excessively touch their faces and potentially bring viral particulates close to orifices of entry (i.e. nose, mouth, eyes) into the body. Despite controversies on their efficacy, masks have still been widely adopted during H1N1 swine flu in 2009 along with other large scale pandemics.1 Researchers from the University of Alberta has recently found universal and reusable virus deactivation systems for respiratory protection in mice models.2 In this paper, we suggest the development of a 3D-printed face mask, which uses table salt (NaCl) as a deactivating, neutralizing agent against the virus.