Once again hospital surfaces made from copper have been proven to have fewer germs than anything else.
A new U.S. study at the Grinnell Medical Centre found far less bacteria on products made from copper or copper alloys such as grab bars, toilet flushes, IV poles, switches, keyboards, sinks and dispensers.
Non copper products, even after extensive cleaning or in rooms that weren’t occupied, soon showed bacteria levels way above recommended levels. Grinnell now says it will install Antimicrobial Copper surfaces more widely.
The World Health Organization has said infection control is one of 5 strategies to fight Antimicrobial Resistance, saying that if not stopped it will mean one death every three seconds by 2050.
It’s accepted that hand hygiene, surface cleaning and disinfection are standard measures to prevent and control HCAIs, but it’s also now accepted that it’s no longer enough.
World expert, Professor Bill Keevil, will talk about how science backs use of Antimicrobial Copper when he speaks at the UK’s Patient First Conference in late November.
‘We’ve shown that antimicrobial copper touch surfaces produce a rapid kill of bacteria, viruses and fungi, usually within minutes,’ he said recently. “EPIC 3—the national, evidence-based guidelines for preventing hospital acquired infections in England—recognise high-touch surfaces made from antimicrobial copper harbour 80–90% fewer bacteria than equivalent, non-copper surfaces.”
The Conference will get a first hand look at how Antimicrobial Copper works in the real world when a second presentation looking at an NHS Trust’s experience with installing antimicrobial copper as an additional infection control measure-‘Breaking the Chain of Infection with Antimicrobial Copper’.
More information: http://copperalliance.org.uk
