Fear of the swine flu is on the rise and a wave of flu patients is expected to flow into hospitals in the winter months. The flu viruses are transmitted when carriers cough and sneeze, and sometimes stick to walls, only to infect other people later. This means that people entering hospitals, medical centers, schools and any pubic building are exposed to the viruses.
An Israeli firm that is situated in the Galilee, Imat Technologies, has patented a wall coating that is usually used in operating rooms and other sterile environments. The coating seals the walls in a way that prevents them from absorbing viruses, thus significantly reducing risk to employees and visitors. The company is now marketing the coating to any and all public institutions as a means of reducing the risk of flu infection.
Gal Volokh, Deputy Director for Marketing at Imat, told Arutz Sheva that the solution is a simple one. “The coating is anti-bacterial and has unique characteristics that prevent the viruses' absorption into the wall,” he explained. “After conducting tests in the company's labs we decided to widen its distribution to public institutions and organizations in order to fight the spread of the disease. The coating comes in a wide range of colors and can easily be applied using a brush, a roller or by spraying.”
The material is already in use at Assuta Hospital in Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva, at the Elisha Medical Center in Haifa, at the Ramat Aviv Medical Center, at the Tara plant in Tel Aviv and elsewhere.