Photodynamically-active coatings for extended disinfection of high-touch surfaces to combat COVID-19

虽然人与人之间的社交距离协议似乎是防止SARS-CoV-2传播的最关键因素，但表面对人传播的可能性仍然是与COVID-19社区传播相关的关键风险因素。对于更广泛的人群来说，需要关注的按键表面包括门把手、楼梯井或公共交通工具上的扶手，以及支付机上的键盘。鉴于在确保儿童和认知/身体受损的老年人遵循适当的洗手规程以减少表面传播风险方面存在固有挑战，学校和长期护理设施等地点也存在其他问题。虽然定期消毒可以有效杀死SARS-CoV-2，但现有的消毒方案的残留活性很小，因此需要劳动密集型的定期重新消毒。开发一种安全的可喷涂涂层，可以在长达一周的时间内保持高接触表面的有效消毒，而无需临时干预，从而大大降低SARS-CoV-2和其他疾病在社区传播的风险。该项目旨在通过森科尔和麦克马斯特大学Todd Hoare博士的合作创造这种涂料。森科尔在配制可喷雾乳剂方面有十年的经验，最近（与Hoare合作），基于食品级材料的可喷雾涂料，可以在暴露在阳光下有效地杀死广谱的植物性病原体（通常可以完全根除病原体）。在此，我们的目标是合作重新设计这些农业涂料，以解决高接触表面的关键挑战，特别是提高涂层的附着力/稳定性，并确保所有相关的室内和室外光源都能有效地刺激病毒的快速失活。接下来，我们将在实际应用中验证涂层的性能，并取得成功的结果，最终由Suncor（利用其现有的农业基础设施）进行生产和商业化。我们预计这种涂料将提供一种安全方便的消毒策略，以降低社区疾病传播的风险。

While social distancing protocols between people appear to be most critical to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, the potential for surface-to-person transmission remains a key risk factor associated with community spread of COVID-19. For the broader population, key surfaces of concern include doorknobs/door handles, handrails on stairwells or public transit, and keypads on payment machines. Additional concerns are present in locations like schools and long-term care facilities given the inherent challenges in ensuring children and cognitively/physically-impaired older adults follow proper handwashing protocols to reduce surface transmission risk. While regular disinfection effectively kills SARS-CoV-2, existing disinfection protocols have minimal residual activity and thus require labour-intensive regular re-application. Developing a safe sprayable coating that can maintain effective disinfection of high-touch surfaces over up to one week without interim intervention would thus dramatically reduce the risks of community spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other diseases. This project aims to create such coatings through a partnership between Suncor and Dr. Todd Hoare (McMaster University). Suncor has a decade of experience in formulating sprayable emulsions and, more recently (in collaboration with Hoare), sprayable coatings based on food-grade materials that can effectively kill a broad spectrum of plant-based pathogens upon exposure to sunlight (often achieving complete eradication of pathogens). Herein, we aim to collaboratively re-engineer these agricultural coatings to address key challenges specific to high-touch surfaces, specifically increasing coating adhesion/stability as well as ensuring that all relevant indoor and outdoor light sources can effectively stimulate rapid viral deactivation. Following, we will validate the performance of the coatings in practical applications, with a successful result leading to regulatory filings and, ultimately, manufacturing and commercialization by Suncor (leveraging its existing agricultural infrastructure). We anticipate such coatings will offer a safe and convenient disinfection strategy for reducing the risk of community disease spread.