The news is spreading almost as fast as the virus. Copper, that humble metal, is an impressive anti-viral and can kill the coronavirus. It does this by releasing copper irons when the virus lands on its surface. The ions prevent cell respiration and disrupts the viral coat destroying the DNA and RNA inside.
It’s important that we, as cat lovers, know how to defend ourselves from this virus and to help prevent or minimise the possibility of infection. A New England Journal study tested Covid-19 on four surfaces, copper, cardboard, plastic and stainless steel. The study found that the Covid-19 virus was gone after four hours on copper. On cardboard it took 24 hours and it died after three days on plastic and stainless steel.
In general, the virus lives longer on hard, smooth surfaces and dies more quickly on rougher, softer services such as paper, cloth and latex gloves (The Times newspaper).
However, it is copper which shines through as the best surface to have in your home and those people who perhaps idiosyncratically installed copper countertops in the kitchen are now sitting smugly at home with a big smile on their faces.
I am unsure how one can incorporate this information into one’s life. However, I do feel that the coronavirus pandemic is not going to go away quickly. I have a strong feeling that it will be around for perhaps years to come and even the lockdown may last 12 months for certain sections of society such as the elderly.
It is probably wise to consider a change in lifestyle on a more permanent basis and with this in mind our knowledge that copper is an anti-viral and also an antifungal and antibacterial substance, may be useful to us in trying to incorporate it into day-to-day life. Our homes should be an environment which is kept free of the virus. It should be a sanctuary from its dangers.
While dictating this, I can think of one way copper could be used within the home to help kill the virus which we might bring into the home. Door handles could be in copper. Cooking utensils can be in copper and taps could also be made of this metal. I am thinking of all the surfaces that we normally handle. I’m trying to bring into this article a precise reference to cats and I’m struggling.
Perhaps, if you use cat litter, and many millions of people do, you could purchase a cat litter scoop made out of copper if they exist! It might be useful anyway even if there wasn’t the coronavirus pandemic because as mentioned copper kills bacteria as well. Cat poop is full of bacteria. I wonder if copper kills toxoplasma gondii oocysts? That’s another story.
There are two new developments re: coronavirus. It is mutating. Chinese scientists have found 33 mutations. And it causes mysterious blood clots as well as the conventional lung disease. This is most worrying to doctors who are scratching their heads as to what is going on.
Good luck and keep safe.
