While we may have used BC and AD as an acronym at some point of time to talk about a certain period in the history, pre-Covid and post-Covid is a term which is being widely used in the current scenario.
The impact of this pandemic has been unprecedented, which has led to a complete lifestyle change across the world, safety and hygiene being the most prominent.
Common examples of this change are the widespread usage of hand sanitizers and face masks. Pre-covid would define face masks as something which was only used by the doctors in the hospitals, also known surgical masks. In the post-Covid era, this definition has changed.
“There is an opportunity in every crisis” – True to this proverb, the plethora of new startups focusing on health and hygiene that has come to the fore in these last few months is just unmatchable.
However, there are a few established brands that are going beyond just basic hygiene. Livinguard, an environmentally friendly hygiene technology platform based in Zug, Switzerland is one such brand which has been at the forefront of innovation at times of Covid-19.
In an Exclusive Interview with Unkrate India, Sanjeev Swamy, Founder, Inventor and CEO of Livinguard Technologies spoke about what makes their technology different from others, the science behind their masks which kills Covid19 virus, the deceptive brands claiming to be anti-corona and many other interesting details.
Livinguard Technology’s pioneering and revolutionary invention is currently the world’s only non-leaching technology that can continuously and safely inactivate viruses and bacteria, including 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), making it the safest and most effective coronavirus killing technology known to date.
Non-leaching is permanently bound to the textile and is not separated from the substrate. It has also been found to be safe for use on skin and mucous membrane, making this technology the safest of its kind.
Researchers from Freie Universität Berlin and ITA RWTH Aachen, two of the most recognized academic institutions in virology and textiles, have confirmed the efficacy of a new self-disinfecting technology to permanently destroy the new coronavirus when applied to textiles or surfaces.
Professor Uwe Rösler of Free University of Berlin says, “The textiles in these masks can thus continuously inactivate the exhaled viruses and can make handling these masks even safer overall. In addition, such textiles could also help to reduce hygienic issues in other general and medical areas, even beyond COVID-19.”
Their underlying principle is to apply a positive charge at the molecular level to textile surfaces. When microbes come into contact with these positive charges, the microbial cell, which is negatively charged, is destroyed, leading to permanent destruction of the microorganism. “This is a culmination of years of effort including over 65,000 experiments and filing more than 100 patents,” adds Swamy.
The Livinguard mask is mostly made from cotton, hence, it is eco-friendly and sustainable. The outer fabric layer of the mask has its Tripellent Technology, which has three levels of protection. There is the Antiviral Technology coated on both sides of this fabric, as well as the same Antiviral Technology embedded into the fibres of the fabric. When a virus comes into contact with this fabric, its capsid is destroyed and the virus essentially explodes, rendering it harmless. The fabric continues working in this manner, without any chemical leaching out of it, and remains unaffected by washing.
“We currently have the capacity to produce 150,000 masks per week in India alone,” says Swamy. Livinguard masks perform for >200 uses, which is equivalent to 30 million single-use masks per week. They have been selling masks to public and private institutions in bulk for distribution to employees and are working with e-commerce platforms such as Nykaa and Flipkart who have enabled masks to become available to Indian consumers more broadly.
“Livinguard face masks are made in India, by Indians, for Indians, therefore 100% made in India. This is a labor-intensive stitching process and offers a great means to generate employment during such dark times where daily wage earners are struggling to earn a living,” adds Swamy.
Unfortunately, however, deceptive, and misleading ‘me too’ products which can cause potential harm to the human body, as well as the environment are claiming to be ‘anti corona’ have been found to misinform consumers by concealing the efficacy and safety of their technology. “Most of these so-called ‘corona shield’ masks are made using silver, zinc or other technologies containing heavy metal content which leach out of the textile and can cause harmful effects and are potentially carcinogenic,” informs Swamy.
He further adds, “Certain marketers have been miscommunicating and overstating their performance data as well as withholding this important safety information, thereby misinforming users and jeopardizing their health.”
Livinguard Technologies will immediately launch more personal protective products including gloves, wipes, and protective medical apparel. “We are also working on air filtration and various solutions to help the world return to normal,” says Swamy.
The ever-increasing levels of pollution, global travel, shared mobility, and the prevalence of drug-resistant microbes have led to growing threats of infectious disease. Talking about the role Livinguard can play in uplifting the hygiene and safety of people across the country in the new normal, Swamy says, “We see our solutions as essential safeguards that can offer enhanced safety and better health to billions of people. We believe that our future is tied to sustainable solutions amidst non-degradable wastes that threaten our existence on this planet.”
He concludes, “Our commitment is to develop highly effective technologies that also minimize waste and use of resources. We view personal and planetary health as inseparable imperatives and the foundational base of everything that we do.”
