A mask that reveals if you have been in contact with COVID-19 is developed

Japanese scientists have designed a mask that glows in the dark if it has been in direct contact with the virus. It is an easy and cost-effective way to detect infection and test for COVID-19.

The research began last February, when Tsukamoto‘s team benignly injected virus particles into female ostriches. The aim was to analyse the antibodies extracted from the eggs the animals laid, and then integrate them into a fluorescent dye. When the dye is sprayed onto a mask designed with special filters, the sensitivity of the filters causes them to glow if they have been exposed to COVID-19.

The same scientists conducted a series of tests on 32 people infected with the coronavirus. By exposing the masks to ultraviolet light, the result was unanimous: they all glowed. This indicated that all the patients had indeed had contact with the virus.

Now, a new test with 150 new participants is planned. The objective? To prove the validity of the research and thus obtain government approval to introduce these new masks on the market.