Fashion companies around the world have been adapting to the pandemic, as many of us have. And some companies are promoting new technology on their fabrics or textiles that prevent bacteria and viruses.
But CNN reports that the claims may be more for marketing than virus prevention.
Burberry introduced masks that they claim protect from microbes and germs. Under Armor’s new sport mask claims it has antimicrobial properties. And an Italian denim maker “Diesel” claims its jeans are “virus fighting.”
CNN reports that most of these claims have not been tested and have not been approved by U.S. regulators.
Amy Price, a senior research scientist and Stanford university -- who also helped advise the World Health Organization on its face mask guidelines -- told CNN that bacteria and viruses have different ways of reproducing, making it hard to fight all of them.
Price also said that you need to be careful what treatments are on clothing items, especially masks which are worn on your face. She says that it is important to make sure that whatever you use is FDA approved.
In some cases, the technology -- like the one used in the jeans -- claims that it can kill the coronavirus in two hours. But, price says that is a lengthy disinfection time because a person can breathe in the virus in fractions of a second.
Price told CNN that there may be a future in antimicrobial technology, but right now there is just too incomplete a picture.
Ultimately, everyone should just stick to what the national and global organizations recommend. Wash your hands often, wear a multi-layered mask that fits close to your face and continue to stay six feet from one another.