Virus outbreaks primarily spread through airborne infection. When an infected person speaks, sneezes, coughs, or laughs, they expel microscopic droplets called aerosols. The risk of these virus-laden droplets infecting other people exponentially increases in indoor environments because the aerosols can keep floating or circulating in the indoor air for long periods, ready to be inhaled.

A recent article published in Infection Control Today noted how the variants of the COVID-19 virus have the propensity to aerosolize, which increases their transmission in indoor environments. This is where UV disinfection technology comes in to prevent the aerosolized pathogens from remaining active in the air and infecting healthy but exposed individuals.

Once the infectious aerosolized viral load comes in contact with Aerapy’s advanced UV devices designed for commercial indoor spaces, the powerful UV-C light will disrupt and inactivate the pathogen’s DNA almost instantaneously. This renders the pathogen incapable of causing harm, thereby disinfecting the indoor air.

When Aerapy’s lab-tested, proven UV disinfection technology for upper air and HVAC systems in commercial and industrial buildings, as well as Aerapy’s UV device for transport and service vehicles, are put to use, it can play a significant role in fighting the virus outbreak. These award-winning, US-manufactured disinfection devices have been in use since 2008 and are making a key contribution in the ongoing fight against the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

According to the FDA, UV-C radiation is a recognized disinfection tool that has been used for decades to fight infection spread through air, water, and surfaces. For its ability to destroy pathogens, UV-C light is called “germicidal.”

The FDA states on its website that UV-C radiation can destroy the SARS-Coronavirus outer protein coating, which results in the virus becoming inactive. The agency goes on to say UV-C may also specifically work to inactivate SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus responsible for causing COVID-19. 

The CDC has stated that UV research till now regarding SARS-CoV-2 suggests that this COVID-19 causing virus is very similar to SARS, MERS, and other coronaviruses when it comes to the UV-C dose required for its inactivation. Specifically talking about the upper-room UV disinfection technology, the CDC says that UVGI devices are a useful tool in controlling and reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious pathogens.

Aerapy’s commercial-grade UV disinfection technology has proved to be a critical tool in the fight against airborne infectious disease outbreaks, such as SARS-CoV-2. According to Dr. Richard Corsi of the University of California, Davis:

•       Inhalation of respiratory aerosols laden with harmful viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 is the key pathway for the spread of a virus outbreak. Therefore, the way to reduce infection risk is through inactivating the virus to cut down the inhalation dose among healthy individuals.
• To reduce this inhalation dose of SARS-CoV-2 virus-laden aerosols in a significant manner, the solutions are to wear a mask, improve ventilation and air filtration and/or UV disinfection. These are the proven approaches/technologies to cut down the inhalation dose.

From facility-wide UV-C disinfection for HVAC units to upper-room UV for immediate and targeted disinfection, Aerapy’s devices are study-backed and tested to meet your business needs. Talk to us about how our UV devices can help protect your employees and visitors against the risk of viral infection in commercial indoor environments. Call us at 866-994-2473 to schedule a free UV consultation, or reach us online.