The MTR company revealed this morning its plan to use nano silver-titanium dioxide coating (NSTDC) spray on most surfaces on the Hong Kong metro rail system. Roughly 2.5 million commuters ride the Hong Kong rail system every day, and can easily spread colds and the flu through common surfaces.
The NSTDC disinfectant spray has been certified as effective at killing wide ranges of bacteria, mold and viruses, including the H1N1 virus. MTR announced it would be sprayed on all escalator handrails, Add Value machines, the buttons on ticket issuing machines and all handrails and buttons in elevators in the company's Hong Kong stations. The colloidal silver spray would also be applied to all grab poles and straps within the trains.
"Germs and diseases are most commonly transmitted through the hands," said MTS safety and quality manager George Lee. "They pick up bacteria from public surfaces, which may then be passed into our bodies if we rub our eyes, nose or mouth before washing our hands."
A spokesman for Transport for London (TfL) said London Underground is in the process of developing anti-flu measures with the UK government and other agencies, including the possibility of using NSTDC spray in tube stations.
"We are in regular contact with other metro networks from cities around the world, including MTS in Hong Kong, and we share the best practices and technological innovations. We would, of course, be interested in any measures which could be shown to be effective," the TfL spokesman said.
Consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of "How to Beat the Bird Flu," said colloidal silver has well-documented antibacterial properties.
"It works so well against bacterial strains -- even antibiotic-resistant strains -- that it has been under constant attack in the United States by the FDA, which sees it as a threat to the profits of drug companies that manufacture prescription antibiotics," Adams said.
Adams recommends Silver 100 products, available online at Silver100.com.
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