In a pandemic, people tend to seek treatment, so it is not surprising that the global COVID-19 outbreak is not surprising that people are looking for something that can protect them. One of the most popular increases is in people looking to buy a UV sanitiser wand. These use ultraviolet light to easily kill bacteria.
Sunlight is said to be the best disinfectant, but should you fill your Amazon shopping cart with a UV stick or with soap and water? Kim Trautman, Executive Vice President of medical equipment for NSF International, a testing, inspection and certification organization, provides some answers. Trautman has many years of experience and has developed FDA standards for the quality of medical equipment in the FDA.
How Does UV Light Work?
Ultraviolet light comes primarily from the sun, but there are also artificial sources of UV light. These include tanning beds and UV lamps for UV disinfection. Ultraviolet rays are divided into three categories: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C.
UV-A and UV-B light can cause sunburn and premature skin aging, and both factors are associated with skin cancer. Ultraviolet light has the highest energy of the three types and is the most damaging, but fortunately it does not reach the surface of the earth because it is absorbed by our atmosphere.
Ultraviolet rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation. A particular subtype, called UV-C (wavelength 280-100 nm), can destroy viruses and bacteria (as well as human tissue), destroying their DNA / RNA, making their replication impossible. In response to the pressure caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, hospitals use large ultraviolet lamps to disinfect rooms.
Can UV Light Kill Coronavirus?
Based on available scientific evidence, ultraviolet light can kill a variety of viruses, and it is highly likely that ultraviolet light can kill SARS-CoV-2, but note that a public peer-reviewed study has not yet been specifically conducted. directed at ultraviolet radiation. which will cause COVID-19.
The National Institute of Science, Technology and Medicine (NASEM) said that ultraviolet radiation can kill the coronavirus. The website says: “UV radiation has been shown to kill other coronaviruses, so it can act on new coronaviruses.” This includes the coronavirus of deadly respiratory syndrome in the Middle East, also known as MERS-CoV, and the sign of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated with coronavirus or SARS.
But there is a big caveat: “Ultraviolet rays can harm human skin, so they can only be used on objects or surfaces,” the NASEM continued.
When not to use UV Light?
This means that you should not use UV as a hand sanitizer. Insist on washing your hands with soap and water (follow the appropriate hand washing instructions). If soap is not available use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
The WHO agrees with this and reports on its Coronathirus Mythoreactor website that people should not use ultraviolet rays to disinfect their hands or other areas of the skin, since ultraviolet radiation “can irritate the skin and damage the eyes” .
“Any device with a UV lamp cannot replace hand washing, wearing masks, and disposing of equipment.”
FDA approval
Scientists are exploring ways to make these powerful disinfectants safe for people. However modern equipment is not safe to use on your body. This is due in part to the fact that many, if not most, of these products are not FDA approved.
This means that what you see may not be what you get; This is a very important consideration, because although the dose is very small, long-range ultraviolet radiation may not cause harm to people or animals, but it is too strong for use. The dose may be close to your skin, really harmful.
Dr. Taylor Holmig, Director of Dermatological Surgery, Department of Medicine, University of Texas at Austin, said these devices “tend to be used in many different shapes, sizes, and strengths, so their antimicrobial capabilities can vary”. The effects Using ultraviolet radiation on your body can include severe burns such as sunburn and retinal damage.
Also, Dr. Holmig continued, because ultraviolet lighting equipment “is generally not cheap, especially compared to the standard disinfectants that we know of, these may not be the most effective cleaning methods. At the very least, it is worth improving the UV disinfection” . The fact is, there is no ultraviolet lighting that can replace hand washing, wearing masks and partitions.”
Is It Good For Disinfecting Humans?
If this is good enough for the hospital, then it may be enough for your home, right? Incomplete. There are many problems with using UV sticks to clean houses. First, if you don’t live in an empty room, ultraviolet radiation will do little good.
Trautman said: “Most science shows that the effectiveness of ultraviolet light is really on a flatter surface.” “It doesn’t work well in corners and spaces because it’s a spectrum of visible light. If light cannot penetrate, this will not produce the same effect. So if you have curves and spaces, the bacteria in these spaces will not be exposed to ultraviolet radiation. “
Then a scale problem arises: a sanitising wand can cover only a small surface area. If you want to disinfect the entire room, it may take some time.
“If you see multiple photographs of the hospital rooms used for this purpose,” Trautman explained, “they are very large. They are not just wand-shaped hand objects. You have to put something in the room correctly.” Position it so that it can radiate. If it doesn’t emit 360 degrees, it must have some sort of “rotation mechanism” to ensure processing of the entire room.
Should you buy a UV sanitiser wand?
Among the many problems associated with using UV rods for disinfection, Trautman emphasized the danger that UV light poses to human meat.
She said: “As much ultraviolet radiation as possible destroys cell walls, proteins, bacteria and viral membranes.” It is also carcinogenic or can cause cancer that affects people. This is the ultraviolet spectrum that tanned us. Therefore, exposure to human skin, eyes, etc. It can be very harmful. Therefore, this is not an easy task. ” These robots blew up the camera and people did not enter the field. Essentially, a UV pencil requires someone to hold it. Looking at some of the ultraviolet rods available on Amazon, it appears that none of them are equipped with safety gear, although it is clear that customers should wear safety glasses when wearing them. If the device can destroy the virus, it can also damage it. Take car if you Buy A UV Sanitiser Wand