The following short report ran on the six o'clock news on my local TV station the other night:
https://www.wcjb.com/2021/08/16/killing-covid-19-with-uv-radiation-florida-center-blind-implements-new-technology-office/ It reports on a nearby business that claims the UV light-emitting machine it obtained kills coronavirus in its rooms, lessening the chance of infection of its clients.
Similar reports talk about
using air purifiers to clear the air of airborne versions of the virus.
But how well do these measures really work? This article, one of several I found on this topic, claims that they do work, but with caveats:
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/08/17/do-uv-lamps-and-air-purifiers-work-against-covid-19/From the article:
“UVC (light) damages the DNA and RNA of pathogens, stopping them from replicating.”
"... get air purifiers with HEPA or high-efficiency particulate air filters since it can capture particles smaller than SARS-CoV-2, which can be transmitted in small droplets that may linger in the air for hours.”
"Some air purifiers also create noise when running as they use fans to force the air through their filters."
“Be careful of air purifiers that may produce ozone, which can damage the lungs when inhaled." And in particular the article notes:
“UVC lamps that are marketed for home use may or may not be effective. However, there isn’t enough evidence to use it outside of a clinic or a hospital setting, particularly because its misuse may be harmful or produce long-term adverse effects on people’s health.” The article even goes on to discuss "air purifier necklaces ," but dismisses them as unreliable due to filter issues.
Another concern I would have before running out and buying a UV device or an air purifier is that I could locate no research offering quantifiable measures, something like a report from a Consumer Reports testing lab for example, that might boost one's confidence that these items will actually be effective. (One of the quotes above emphasizes this). Maybe such tests are ongoing, but results haven't been published yet.
So the little research I did seems to yield mixed results, sort of try it if you want to, maybe it will help, but don't expect it to be the answer.
But I suppose these days lots of approaches are getting consideration as tools against the virus.