A new invention designed to stop the spread of Covid-19 is being trialled in two west Kent care homes.

SaniArch, created by Marcus Van Der Gaag from Staplehurst, is an archway which sprays people with a safe sanitising mist killing bacteria before they enter buildings.

They have been installed in Larchmere care home in Cranbrook and Barty House care home in Maidstone to ensure staff and visitors are safe before coming into contact with residents.

Mr Van Der Gaag came up with the idea after seeing a similar design in Asia.

The 52-year-old said: “In one of the publications I read, I saw this thing in a shopping centre in Asia and I thought, this is a fantastic idea that we should bring to the UK.

“My son was working at JennyChem making hand sanitiser and so we just put two and two together.

“People step into the arch, they get sprayed with mist for a few seconds, it covers all exposed hair, skin and clothes, and when they step out, they will have a protective layer.

“There is no bleach or chlorine so it is safe on skin and clothes.”

The arches, which start from £3,500, are designed to work alongside the Covid-19 vaccine and social distancing measures as an extra precaution until more people are immunised.

Mr Van Der Gaag explains: “Yes we have the Covid-19 vaccine but when it comes to cross contamination, this is where the arch comes into effect.

“If it is on any clothing, and that brushes against something, it will help to stop that spread.

“It’s going to take until at least the middle of next year for everyone to be vaccinated and with Kent being one of the worst places in the country, this could benefit so many businesses.”

So far, more than 16,000 people in the county have stepped through the arches in care homes, factories and play centres.

One has also been trialled at Flip Out in Ashford.

While Mr Van Der Gaag thought of the idea, it was a joint effort which involved two more Kent businesses.

JennyChem, a chemical manufacturer in Snodland created the mist, and Exhibition Stand Manufacturers (ESM) from Sittingbourne was tasked with building the archways.

The trio now hope to roll out the design to a variety of different businesses across Kent to help it move out of Tier 3.

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