Smart textiles and wearable technologies – opportunities offered in the fight against pandemics in relation to current COVID-19 state

Recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world dramatically, posing profound challenges to our healthcare infrastructure, economic systems, social and cultural life but also to our freedom. What this pandemic made us realize so far, is that, despite the tremendous advances in medicine and pharmacy, in the initial moments, which are crucial in the containment of spreading of any pandemic, the key role is played by the non-pharmaceutical measures. These measures are the ones that bridge the time between pandemic outbreaks and the development of drugs or vaccines and are crucial for the number of human lives spared. Smart textiles and novel materials as part of the personal protective equipment (PPE) and telemedicine are crucial factors in the healthcare system. Here, we present an overview on the use of textiles in the fight against pandemics, in the past and current COVID-19, we analyze the morphology of the commonly used face masks, made of cotton and typically used polypropylene (PP). We also present the perspective that smart textiles, wearable technologies and novel materials are offering in the fight against future pandemics, mainly as part of the personal protective equipment and telemedicine.