A team of scientists at the University of Toronto has conducted tests on a new mask that is said to deactivate the virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and they've confirmed its effectiveness.

The new TrioMed Active Mask was created by i3 BioMedical Inc. and has an external surface that deactivates roughly 99 per cent of the coronavirus suspension within minutes, according to a news release from the company. 

It's the first of its kind and provides a whole other level of protection for both frontline healthcare workers and the general public.

The TrioMed Active Mask has active antimicrobial protection on its outer layer which deactivates roughly 99 per cent of the virus that causes COVID-19

Other products of a similar nature are also being produced using the same patented technology, including wound dressings, medical tapes, gloves, headwear, gowns and other personal protective equipment being sold globally.

"A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control established that people touch their face 23 times per hour on average. Furthermore, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 remains present and infectious on the outer layer of masks for up to 7 days, according to a study published in The Lancet Microbe2," reads the release. 

"In addition to the warnings issued by governmental authorities pertaining to self-contamination by touching one's mask, these two scientific publications further demonstrate the major deficiency in the level of protection for all wearers of current masks."

The TrioMed Active Mask's antimicrobial protection also deactivates the Influenza virus H1N1, has a viral filtration efficiency (VFE) and bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) of roughly 99.9 per cent, and has a five-year shelf life. 

"The TrioMed Active Mask is the first and only respiratory protection that is scientifically proven to deactivate the virus causing Covid-19, therefore drastically reducing the risk of contamination for the wearer," said Pierre Jean Messier, founder and CEO of i3 Biomedical Inc., in the release.

"Our company spent years and millions of dollars to develop this interactive antimicrobial technology. The resulting products are used by the medical community around the world and have been tested by independent laboratories to kill numerous microbes, such as MRSA, VRE, E-Coli, Staphylococcus Aureus, Influenza Virus and now SARS-CoV-2.

"This third-party scientific testing confirms TrioMed's leading position in medical antimicrobial technology available in the global fight against Covid-19."