The
COVID-19 outbreak has fueled a global demand for effective
diagnosis and treatment as well as mitigation of the spread of infection,
all through large-scale approaches such as specific alternative antiviral
methods and classical disinfection protocols. Based on an abundance
of engineered materials identifiable by their useful physicochemical
properties through versatile chemical functionalization, nanotechnology
offers a number of approaches to cope with this emergency. Here, through
a multidisciplinary Perspective encompassing diverse fields such as
virology, biology, medicine, engineering, chemistry, materials science,
and computational science, we outline how nanotechnology-based strategies
can support the fight against COVID-19, as well as infectious diseases
in general, including future pandemics. Considering what we know so
far about the life cycle of the virus, we envision key steps where
nanotechnology could counter the disease. First, nanoparticles (NPs)
can offer alternative methods to classical disinfection protocols
used in healthcare settings, thanks to their intrinsic antipathogenic
properties and/or their ability to inactivate viruses, bacteria, fungi,
or yeasts either photothermally or via photocatalysis-induced
reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Nanotechnology tools to
inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in patients could also be explored. In this
case, nanomaterials could be used to deliver drugs to the pulmonary
system to inhibit interaction between angiotensin-converting enzyme
2 (ACE2) receptors and viral S protein. Moreover, the concept of “nanoimmunity
by design” can help us to design materials for immune modulation,
either stimulating or suppressing the immune response, which would
find applications in the context of vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2
or in counteracting the cytokine storm, respectively. In addition
to disease prevention and therapeutic potential, nanotechnology has
important roles in diagnostics, with potential to support the development
of simple, fast, and cost-effective nanotechnology-based assays to
monitor the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and related biomarkers. In summary,
nanotechnology is critical in counteracting COVID-19 and will be vital
when preparing for future pandemics.