The spray that helps reduce HAIs October 1st 2010 Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool is
pioneering a new spray-form of "liquid
glass" that has proven in trials to reduce
the number of disease-causing bacteria living on
the surface of objects.
Severely ill children being treated at Alder Hey
are often not allowed to play with the hospital's
communal toys due to fears that infections will
be passed between patients, some of whom may
have weak immune systems as a consequence of
hospital treatment.
The liquid forms an invisible coating on the surface of an object to
repel dirt on the toys. It is also believed to prevent the build-up of
hospital-acquired infections, some of which are resistant to normal
antibiotics.Alder Hey is testing the experimental coating on the toys
in children's wards because they were
deemed most susceptible to infection
contamination.
Tests of the liquid glass in another nearby
hospital have shown that coating surfaces
such as floors, toilet handles and lift buttons,
can reduce bacterial growth by between 25
and 50 per cent.
Mark Woodhead, Chairman of the British
Cleaning Council, said:"These test results show
that this product has great potential, not just for
toys but for just about every other hospital setting.Coupled with extra
investment in cleaning personnel, these technological advancements
will help us to confront the deadly
threat of HAI's more effectively". More articles from British Cleaning Council: |