Nippon Paint and Corning Inc, the US-based technology company, have developed a special coating to protect workers from picking up viruses from painted surfaces.

Nippon Paint's Antivirus Kids Paint, developed specifically for frontline hospital use, incorporates Corning Guardiant Antimicrobial Particles – a nascent technology designed to safeguard against viruses from adhering to hospital surfaces.

Experts estimate that viruses can remain viable on some surfaces for several days, depending on environmental conditions.

Nippon Paint and Corning believe antiviral coatings applied to surfaces can provide frontline healthcare workers with an additional layer of protection against viruses.

Nippon Paint's Antivirus Kids Paint was tested by Microchem Laboratory in the US in January 2020, with results showing that the coating inactivates over 99.9% of the Feline Calicivirus.

Feline Calicivirus has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a suitable replacement for detecting human norovirus.

The new coating also kills harmful bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli (Escherichia coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Nippon Paint and Corning Inc have donated RMB 5 million worth of Nippon Paint Antivirus Kids Paint to four hospitals in China’s Hubei Province.

"The coronavirus outbreak has prompted us once again to be highly innovative, and we are happy to work jointly with Corning at this particular time to complete the development, tests and production of the antivirus coating. We hope this will give frontline healthcare professionals valuable support as they fight the virus," said Eric Chung, president of Nippon Paint, China.

"We believe the paint created by Nippon Paint using Corning Guardiant Antimicrobial Particles can offer an additional layer of protection by reducing the risk of infection from viruses on the painted surfaces of hospitals and medical centers," added Dr. Joydeep Lahiri, division VP and program director, Specialty Surfaces, Corning Incorporated.

The coating was developed specifically for hospitals and healthcare environments.

However, Dimitris Dalakouras, managing director, Conbulk Ship Management Corporation said, “With the safety of crew members being our prime concern, the coating could eventually find application across the maritime industry. Hospital ships are an obvious beneficiary, but the coating could also be used to protect surfaces in cruise ships, passenger ferries as well as other types of commercial vessels.”