Since COVID-19 took hold earlier this year, experts from around the world have been searching for novel ways to tackle the virus head-on. There is a growing sentiment from scientists and economists alike that tough lockdown measures should be avoided if it is safe to do so.
While lockdowns are a necessary measure when cases and death rates put a squeeze on health services, experts argue that inaction and poor response strategies are what make lockdowns necessary in the first place.
The exponential spread of coronavirus has piqued interest in the use of hypochlorous acid (HOCL) as a disinfectant. HOCL is a safe, organic, alcohol-free, water-based product that is “100x more effective than bleach” at disinfecting surfaces.
HOCL was first discovered in the 19th century and has been transforming hygiene standards in many countries for years. Water treatment, manufacturing, food processing and home cleaning sectors have all known the power of hypochlorous acid for a long time now.
In hospitals, HOCL has revolutionized approaches to wound care and respiratory issues. Wounds are reported as healing much more quickly when treated with hypochlorous acid. In patients who have contracted COVID-19, respiratory issues can be greatly improved when their hygiene and treatment plan includes the use of HOCL.
One factor that makes HOCL so compelling is that it can be mass-produced and distributed far more cheaply than other disinfectants. It involves dissolving a compound in water that is already used in a number of other applications. The necessary materials and ways to use them already exist and are very common!
This cheap, powerful solution can also be formulated as a spray or mist. This has led many leaders in health sectors around the world to call for its use in hospitals, public spaces, and businesses.
In fact, countries like Japan and China have been doing exactly this for a while now and it appears to be working. South Korea, a country widely praised for its coronavirus response, was the first to confirm the effectiveness of HOCL in curbing the spread of COVID-19.
An increasingly common sight in some parts of the world is workers with large tanks on their backs spraying a cleaning mist into the air and onto surfaces. Entrances to many high-traffic areas and buildings can use “spray tunnels” to thoroughly and safely disinfect anyone who enters. For some, the use of HOCL has become so widespread that it’s just another part of daily life!
The 2020 pandemic and the use of hypochlorous acid have taught us that this disinfectant is:
- Cheap and easy to produce
- Organic, non-toxic and safe
- Currently used around the world with excellent results
Why then have countries like the UK seen little, if any, use of this powerful disinfectant in its hospitals and commercial sectors? It’s not for lack of trying. Manufacturers of hypochlorous acid have been shouting about its effectiveness for a long time now and the experts agree with them.
HOCL has been described as a “gold standard” against which other disinfectants should be compared. It could be just the weapon we need to strike back against coronavirus. If we can boost our response to COVID-19, and it will only cost pennies to do so, then why haven’t we started?
Manufacturers like Liquid Medical Ltd in the UK use market-leading expertise to produce HOCL in many forms. They could be the answer to our COVID-woes. Liquid Medical’s Disinfectant Clear 200 range offers a number of HOCL options that are:
- Non-toxic
- Non-irritating
- Non–fire-hazardous
- Organic
- Environmentally friendly
- Affordable
Product lines like Disinfectant Clear 200 have solutions suitable for a wide variety of contexts. A strength of companies like this is that they manufacture their own product. This makes it easier to get HOCL to where it is most needed – fast.
Just three ingredients are used by Liquid Medical to produce HOCL: water, salt and electricity. This makes production incredibly cost-effective.
With mounting pressure in the UK for the government to take advantage of the best approaches available, many hope manufacturers of HOCL are at the top of the list.
