Israeli Stadium Deploys Disinfectant Tunnel Amid Coronavirus

Researchers at Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv discovered the disinfecting technology that is now being used for a sanitation tunnel, which sprays visitors with disinfecting liquid before they enter large locations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Industrial automation company RD Pack in Karmiel, Israel took the process that makes a disinfectant out of water and applied it to the structure of a tunnel, according to The Times of Isreal.

The tunnel is reportedly made of an aluminum and polycarbonate frame and is currently being tested at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv as soccer players prepare to return to the stadium, albeit without fans.

“When people walk through the tunnel, the entire body is sprayed with the disinfectant, which works quickly and efficiently, and provides complete sterilization for one person,” Eran Druker, business development manager for The People of Isreal, told The Times of Isreal RD Pack. demonstration on Tuesday.

The method was developed by Dr. Eran Avraham, Dr. Izaak Cohen and Professor Doron Aurbach, head of the electrochemistry group at the Bar-Ilan Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials.

The main advantage of the disinfectant, hypochlorous acid, is that it is not harmful to human skin or food, Avraham told The Times of Israel.

The tunnel would be used primarily for other public and private events, such as stadium games, concerts, airports, schools, and businesses.

Druker said the team is awaiting the conclusion of the pilot program so that regulators can inspect the tunnel before the process progresses.

As of Tuesday night, the coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 6 million people worldwide and killed nearly 380,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins University.