UVC Light useful for killing COVID-19

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic started, now we know, in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China, scientists have scrambled to figure out a way to not only control its effects but to kill it before it kills thousands more.

From disinfecting with chemicals through various spray technology to vaccines, the world is generating creative ways to try and stay ahead of the spread. Recently, new technology using UVC light has been discovered which kills the virus in minutes.

At Columbia’s Center for Radiological Research, scientists had already been testing the safety and effectiveness of the light on other viruses like the flu but since the COVID-19 virus arrival are experimenting with the technology to see if it is safe for humans and still lethal for that specific virus. The center’s director, David Brenner, says so far, the testing is proving to be safe and effective in labs on rats. His hope is that through the next few months, the technology will be released for distribution.

UVC light has already been used on subway trains in New York City, according to Medical Press, but only at night. The efficacy of the technology has already been proven but the question now is whether it can be used with humans being present as it destroys viruses.

“We really need something in situations like offices, restaurants, airplanes, hospitals,” Brenner said. “I spend nights thinking—if this far-UVC project had started one or two years earlier, maybe we could have prevented the COVID-19 crisis,” he said. “Not completely, but maybe we could have prevented it being a pandemic.”

Reference:

Triomphe, Catherine. (2020). Tests show UVC lamps could like the way in virus fight. Medical Press, May 10: https://bit.ly/2TqGizZ