MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

Virucidal gloves

One-line solution summary:

Mandated wearing in the public realm of durable gloves with virus killing surfaces would greatly reduce any contact transmission of Covid-19

Pitch your solution.

Covid-19 would disappear overnight if it was not transmitted. We therefore need to deal with its two forms of transmission: contact and airborne (droplet). This concept addresses the former.

The concept simply calls upon past inventions of coatings which have the ability to kill viruses virtually on contact. These coatings were intended to be placed on objects such as handrails. I suggest that instead of coating objects, we need to coat gloves with a durable virucidal material and mass produce them. Thus, the "touchers" of any objects (all of us) will not be able to transfer any LIVE Covid-19 from one surface to another. If a person wearing these gloves touches various objects, they will NOT transfer live Covid-19 from sites to site. If a government were to make the wearing of such gloves mandatory in the public realm, this major factor in Covid-19 transmission will be virtually eliminated. Details: https://helpwithcovid.com/projects/399-eliminate-contact-transmission-with-mandatory-reusable-virucidal-gloves

What specific problem are you solving?

The specific problem is the contact transmission of Covid-19. Everyday, when people are visiting locations which other people visit, such as stores, schools, subways, office buildings and so forth, they touch things. Even if they are aware of the risk in doing so, most simply can't overcome their instincts. Therefore, they risk picking up Covid-19 and transporting it to another location where someone else can pick it up and accidentally touch their face. Or, they can give it to themselves. Something must be done to interfere with this process. Some may use latex gloves, but few use them properly. In fact, the average person will wear the same pair all day long, doing nothing to stop site to site transfer. Inevitably, they will instinctively touch their face or, once they remove their gloves, touch something with their bare hands that they thought was safe, but really wasn't. Then we have the problem of actually having any gloves; they are not made for long term use and people will tend to hoard them.

Of course, we have hand washing. Again, this is something people have to do consciously.

The scale of this problem is obviously global. Billions of people are affected.

What is your solution?

Coatings exist which kill viruses on contact and even new ones are being worked on as I write this. Most people are aware of the effect which simple copper has; viruses do not last long on them. These coatings, easily found in an online search, kill viruses exceedingly fast.

I am simply suggesting that all available coatings be researched for killing ability and durability. Then, make gloves which have the selected option on the outer surface. Even the inner surface could be considered.

Assuming that a surface has been selected and gloves manufactured, they would need to be distributed to practically everyone on earth, starting in urban areas. Next, governmental bodies would need to mandate they be worn in order to gain entrance to schools, stores, offices, etc. With no more contact transmission of Covid-19, there should be a significant drop in infections.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

This solution servers everyone on the planet.

It will impact everyone's lives by lessening their chances of being infected by Covid-19.

Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Challenge.

Everything I have written relates to the Challenge because if it is implemented, Covid-19 will be on its way to defeat.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Orlando

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea

Who is the primary delegate for your solution?

Robert Mitchell