Five years ago, the Covid-19 pandemic first sweeped the US, infecting millions and claiming Hundreds of thousands of lives. Scientists are already worried about the next airborne threat, but in the future, a powerful new weapon may be waiting for them on their wings.
far-uvc light is a form of ultraviolet rays that can kill viruses and bacteria in the air without damaging humans. Researchers say it could help stop spreading diseases such as the flu and future pandemics.
Columbia University physicist David Brenner says that light works by damaging the genes of disease-causing microorganisms. Brenner’s first main target was seasonal influenza, but that could change.
“UV rays don’t really care about the details of whether it’s a bacterial or a virus or a virus. Essentially, they can kill all of them,” Brenner said.
Traditional UVC light is currently used to disinfect surfaces in hospital-like places, but it does not shine directly on people as it can harm the eyes and skin. In contrast, Far-UVC has shorter wavelengths and is safer. This is because it cannot penetrate the tear layer of the eyes or the top layer of the skin.
According to the CDC, Far-UVC is promising, but it needs more research. This is one of the reasons why Brenner, the manufacturer of UVCLamps, founded the UVC Institute. The lab has a laboratory that simulates real life and controls conditions such as humidity and airflow. Researchers can also measure the amount of virus in the air before and after turning on the Far-UVC lamp.
“I think development is slow and stable,” Brenner said.
After more than a decade in development, far-uvc was set up at a club cafe in Boston. There, it is expected that 17 small fixtures will be installed on the ceiling to share music rather than covid or flu. It is also available at a dental clinic in Columbia. Last October, Professor David Putrino of Mount Sinai Hospital installed the device at the rehabilitation center.
“We went deep into the literature, so after seeing all of these studies, we really reduced safety concerns,” Putrino said.
Scott Hensley, a Bird flu Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are worried virus It already shaking the dairy industry, and he said that having more human infectious diseases infecting 70 people in the US increases the likelihood of random mutations that allow human-to-human transmission.
If avian flu starts to infect people through the air, Far-UVC can combine with vaccines, masks and improved ventilation to reduce the spread of indoors.
“What we want is we can bite from the next pandemic. Whether it’s avian flu or something that’s still not known, whether it’s coming or not,” Brenner said.
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