Copper (Cu), an essential nutrient for the body and the third most abundant trace element in the human body (right after iron and zinc), not only facilitates the process of metabolism but also does not cause skin irritation or hypersensitivity. Copper acts as a catalyst of intracellular oxidation and shows anti-bacterial and anti-viral activities.

Earlier in Ancient Egypt and Greece times, people already discovered the benefits of Cupric ion such as healing, anti-bacteria and anti-inflammatory. Copper has been used as a medicine for thousands of years including the treatment of chest wounds and the purifying of drinking water.

Copper can kill viruses and other germs by disrupting the protective layers of the organisms and interfering with its vital processes. Cupric ions can attack the cell membrane, nucleic acid, and enzyme of bacteria, as a result destroying cellular proteins and causing bacterial death or loss of bacterial proliferation. Cupric ions can kill and eliminate common bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), , even can kill virus such as Influenza A virus and coronavirus pandemic which is much smaller than bacteria.

According to a study published at “The New England Journal of Medicine” held by National Institutes of Health (NIH) of U.S in 2020, SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the coronavirus pandemic, is no longer infectious on copper within 4 hours, whereas it can survive on plastic surfaces for 72 hours. It found that copper can be effective against COVID-19.