Is using UV light to kill Covid-19 effective?
Dear all,
My company is planning to keep new equipment in a closed room under UV light for 24hrs in order to kill any covid. is such method effective
THANKS
It seems there could be potential - article extract below - , for equipment use at least. Personally I'd research thoroughly to establish the effectivity and method and then risk assess to weigh up the cost/benefit against risks especially given the severity of UVC misuse. I.e if it is the case that the likliness of transmission of Covid-19 on equipment is low whereas the cost of the operation including H&S is high it may not be worthwhile.
There is also a third type: UVC. This relatively obscure part of the spectrum consists of a shorter, more energetic wavelength of light. It is particularly good at destroying genetic material – whether in humans or viral particles. Luckily, most of us are unlikely to have ever encountered any. That’s because it’s filtered out by ozone in the atmosphere long before it reaches our fragile skin.
Or that was the case, at least, until scientists discovered that they could harness UVC to kill microorganisms. Since the finding in 1878, artificially produced UVC has become a staple method of sterilisation – one used in hospitals, airplanes, offices, and factories every day. Crucially, it’s also fundamental to the process of sanitising drinking water; some parasites are resistant to chemical disinfectants such as chlorine, so it provides a failsafe.
Though there hasn’t been any research looking at how UVC affects Covid-19 specifically, studies have shown that it can be used against other coronaviruses, such as Sars. The radiation warps the structure of their genetic material and prevents the viral particles from making more copies of themselves.
As a result, a concentrated form of UVC is now on the front line in the fight against Covid-19. In China, whole buses are being lit up by the ghostly blue light each night, while squat, UVC-emitting robots have been cleaning floors in hospitals. Banks have even been using the light to disinfect their money.
https://www.bbc.com/...s-with-uv-light
Many thanks:)
thanks all
can we put carton boxes and plastic bags under UV