Speech as well as a brief presentation of CoFilm+ and the Indonesian CoFilm Team by ITS Vice-Chancellor IV Bambang Pramujati ST MSc Eng Ph.D. (right)

ITS Campus, ITS News – The Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia is currently still spreading and mutating until it is nearing the peak of the third wave caused by the omicron variant virus. To support efforts to prevent its wider spread, Institiut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) officially handed over CoFilm+ antivirus coating paint and sticker innovation products to the Airlangga University Hospital (RSUA), Friday (4/2).

The handover and inauguration of the CoFilm+ coating results to RSUA was attended by the Director of RSUA Prof. Dr. Nasronudin SpPD, Deputy Chancellor IV for Research, Innovation, Cooperation, and ITS Alumni Bambang Pramujati ST MSc Eng Ph.D., ITS Director of Research and Community Service (DRPM) Fadlilatul Taufany ST Ph.D. and his staff. Not to be missed, the Property Today Indonesia Cooperative (KPTI) and the Wismilak Foundation were also present, represented by Anastesya Fataraya and Surjanto Yasaputera.

On that occasion, Bambang explained that the CoFilm+ coating was carried out by covering parts that have the potential to be a place for the transmission of viruses and bacteria such as railing beds, safety grabs, water faucets, doorknobs, chair handles, tables, and others. A total of 40 rooms and more than 952 items at the RSUA have been protected, such as the emergency room, ICU, inpatient room, lobby, poly room, and health worker room (nakes).

CoFilm+ application practice explained by Co-Founder CoFilm Indonesia Royyan Wafi Pujiyanto (second from left) in front of the media crew

This large-scale protection can be carried out smoothly because of the support from the Wismilak Foundation. Currently, CoFilm+ has been used in dozens of places such as the East Java Regional Police, ITS Medical Center, East Java Deputy Governor’s Office, beauty clinics, One Roof Coworkshare, Tab Hotel Group, and various other places. The CoFilm+ innovation product itself has also received a permit from the Ministry of Health with the number FR.03.02/VA/07696/2021.

On this occasion, Bambang Pramujati continues to fully hope that CoFilm Indonesia will develop colorless CoFilm+ so that it can be applied anywhere without compromising the aesthetics of objects coated with CoFilm+. “The end of the covid pandemic certainly doesn’t mean this innovation is useless because it can continue to protect humans not only from the covid virus but various other viruses and bacteria,” he said proudly.

Responding to Bambang’s words, Co-Founder of CoFilm Indonesia Royyan Wafi Pujiyanto said that the product was the result of downstream research from ITS at the RSUA and Special Hospital for Infection. Made as an antimicrobial coating with Nano Copper technology (nano-sized copper) in the form of an aerosol paint whose color can be adjusted according to consumer needs.

One of the team members prepares CoFilm+ for object application practice

Furthermore, this copper technology was chosen as the main technique as the active ingredient because it is easy to kill viruses and other harmful microorganisms. The technology, which was developed in June 2020, has been proven to be able to eradicate various types of viruses, bacteria, and even fungi attached to coated surfaces and are able to provide permanent protection.

Not only that, but the use of copper is also the only metal material that has been certified by the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and has been tested through the Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) Universitas Airlangga and the ITS Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Research Center.

Regarding the handling of Covid-19, the man who is familiarly called Wafi explained that 90 percent of the SARS COV-2 virus on the surface of CoFilm+ can die on the surface of objects that are given this coating within 10 minutes. While 99.9 percent of the virus can die within 1 hour. “Meanwhile on the surface of objects without this antivirus coating, the virus can survive more than 24 hours,” he explained.

Airlangga University Hospital (RSUA) Director Prof. Dr. Nasronudin SpPD (five from left) and ITS Vice-Chancellor IV Bambang Pramujati ST MSc Eng Ph.D. (four from right) along with the leadership

In the future, according to Wafi, CoFilm+ is expected not only to protect the hospital area, but also to be able to protect schools, offices, airports, malls, and other public facilities. The hope is that this product of the nation’s children can be a solution that can help the wider community in reducing the spread of infection and assisting the community in carrying out daily activities despite the susceptibility of Covid-19 transmission.

Not only that, but the CoFilm+ Indonesia Team is also very open to the widest possible cooperation for various parties. The collaboration can be in the form of coating trials, coating service preorders, downstream partners, and other collaborations. (AJ/ITS Public Relation) 

Reporter: Fauzan Fakhrizal Azmi