It’s Time To Look At UV-C Light Air Purification To Combat COVID-19 More Seriously
Published on : 11-02-2020
Worcester, MA and Palm Springs, CA, Nov. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — “It’s time to look more seriously at UV-C light air purification to help protect against airborne pathogens such as COVID-19, influenza, and pneumonia,” stated Dr. Bryan Stone, MD, Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Chief of Medicine Emeritus for Desert Regional Medical Center , and a member of Vystar Corporation’s (OTCQB: VYST) Board of Directors.
The scientific and medical communities, including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), agree that the primary method of COVID-19 and influenza transmission is via airborne means.1, 2 The cleanest room is instantly contaminated the instant an infected person enters and breaths, speaks, coughs or sneezes. “While face masks and social distancing are good preventative measures, we need additional measures, such as UV-C light disinfection, to help prevent airborne transmission,” Dr. Stone observed. “This is particularly true in severe cold weather areas where recommendations for socializing outdoors or opening windows for added ventilation for extended periods are not practical and/or possible.”
The CDC website “verifies that UV germicidal irradiation has been employed in the disinfection of drinking water, air, titanium implants, contact lenses and in the healthcare environment (i.e., operating rooms, isolation rooms, and biologic safety cabinets) for both destruction of airborne organisms or inactivation of microorganisms on surfaces.”3
Dr. Stone warns, “It is extremely important to look for UV-C light air purifiers that are FDA-cleared as Class II Medical Devices, such as Vystar’s RxAir 400® and Rx3000® air purifiers. These devices have been tested in EPA and FDA-certified laboratories as being effective and safe. To be effective, units must use the correct UV-C bulb wavelength and intensity and keep the air in close enough proximity to the bulbs for the necessary duration. Many devices that quickly pass air over small, low intensity UV lights are not effective and can give a false sense of security that puts users at risk.”
How does UV-C light work on COVID-19? – Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID 19, are RNA viruses enveloped in a lipid bilayer. 4 UV-C light in the 254 nm wavelength inactivates lipid viruses by damaging their DNA and RNA genetic material.4,5,6,7,8 UV light’s germicidal effectiveness is influenced by UV intensity, which is affected by distance.4
How does RxAir UV-C Light Air Purification work? —The RxAir UV-C light air purifier is uniquely effective because its patented “kill chamber” forces the air to spiral in close proximity around the three 10-inch UV-C tubes for an extended period of time, ensuring the proper 254 nm wavelength dosage for maximum microbicidal activity. 4, 6 , 9, 10, 11
- RxAir 400 UV Light air purifier – inactivates or kills more than 99.9% of airborne viruses and bacteria, providing up to six air changes per hour (ACH) for an 800 to 1000 sq. ft. area. 9, 10, 11
- Rx3000 UV Light/HEPA air purifier – inactivates and captures 99.97% of viruses and pathogens on first pass with four to eight ACH for a 1500 sq. ft. surgical suite or infection control room or four ACH for a 3000 sq. ft. non-surgical room. 9, 10, 11
RxAir air purifiers are portable standalone units designed for use in a single room of a home, classroom, office, healthcare facility, restaurant or business. They can be valuable supplements to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems by providing rooms with much higher ACH rates than the HVAC system while inactivating, rather than trapping, the pathogens.
Dr. Stone noted, “RxAir devices also reduce the number of active pathogens dropping onto surfaces, thus reducing risk of contact transmission. Another significant advantage is that RxAir UVC air purifiers function free of the chemicals, smells and residues that result from spray disinfectants.”
Is UV light safe? —UV light is a known carcinogen that can harm the eyes and skin from just moments of direct exposure. RxAir protects consumers from exposure to the UV light by enclosing the bulbs within the unit. RxAir is completely safe for major reduction in ambient level of airborne coronaviruses in occupied spaces. This is a major contrast to UV-C robot- or ceiling- mounted unshielded UV-C lights that can only be used in vacant rooms.
UV-C Light and Indoor Air Quality — Research shows that in addition to viruses and bacteria, allergenic pollens, mold, fungi and harmful pollutants contribute to poor indoor air quality (IAQ) that causes respiratory and heart disease, cancer, difficulty breathing, headaches, dizziness, and asthma.12 RxAir UV-C light air purifiers have been proven effective against harmful viral and bacterial pathogens (including multiple coronaviruses, H1N1, MRSA, pneumonia, strep, TB, measles, influenza, and the common cold), molds, and fungi in addition to neutralizing odors, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and other indoor pollutants 5, 6, 7.
Supplementary vs Primary Disinfection — The CDC currently recognizes UV-C light disinfection as a supplementary disinfection method,4 but that may change. Dr. Stone projected, “Just as the CDC recently began to acknowledge that Coronavirus SARS CoV-2 has airborne transmission, I believe they will recognize UV-C light as a primary disinfection method in occupied spaces.”
For information on how to become an RxAir/Rx3000 distributor and/or bulk pricing, contact
Lee Howley, lhowley@vytex.com
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#RxAir , #Coronavirus, #Covid, #UVLight, #UVdisinfection
Sources:
1 Prather K., Marr L., Schooley R. et al., Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, Science, Oct. 5, 2020 doi: 10.1126/science.abf052, https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/10/02/science.abf0521/tab-pdf (Accessed Oct. 9, 2020)
2 Centers for Disease Control (2020, Oct 5) SARS-CoV-2 & Potential Airborne Transmissionhttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-sars-cov-2.html (Accessed Oct 30, 2020)
3 Centers for Disease Control –Infection Control https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/disinfection-methods/miscellaneous.html (Accessed Oct 29, 2020)
4 Food & Drug Administration (March 2020) Enforcement Policy for Sterilizers, Disinfectant Devices, and Air Purifiers During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/enforcement-policy-sterilizers-disinfectant-devices-and-air-purifiers-during-coronavirus-disease (Accessed Oct. 29, 2020)
5 Kowalski, Walsh, Petraitis (2020, March) 2020 COVID-19 Coronavirus Ultraviolet Susceptibility,https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339887436_2020_COVID-19_Coronavirus_Ultraviolet_Susceptibility, Accessed October 10, 2020
6 Coffey, Donavyn, Does UV light kill the new coronavirus?, (July 12, 2020) Live Science, https://www.livescience.com/uv-light-kill-coronavirus.html, (Accessed July 14, 2020)
7 Centers for Disease Control (2020, April 29) Decontamination & Reuse of Filtering Facepiece Respirators. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/decontamination-reuse-respirators.html. (Accessed July 21, 2020)
8 Sabino, Ball, Baptista, et al, Enforcement Policy for Sterilizers, Disinfectant Devices, and Air Purifiers During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency, I, Nov. 2020, do:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2020.111999, (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1011134420304498) (Accessed Oct 28, 2020)
9 Kowalski, (2013, June) Residential Application of the RxAir UV light Portable Air Purification Unit, https://www.rxair.com/lab_results/residential-application/
10 Kowalski, (2009, Dec. 1) Prediction of Virus Inactivation by the UV 400,https://www.rxair.com/lab_results/virus-inactivation/
11 Kowalski, (2012, Jan20) Supplemental Air Purification for Hospitals and Health Care Facilities,https://www.rxair.com/lab_results/health-care-facilities/
12 National Environmental Education Foundation, Bridger, C., National Public Health Week: The Health Impacts of Indoor Air Quality,https://www.neefusa.org/health/asthma/national-public-health-week-health-impacts-indoor-air-quality, (Accessed Oct. 27, 2020)
Financial Disclosure: Dr. Bryan Stone is a shareholder of Vystar Corp.
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About Vystar Corporation:
Based in Worcester, Mass., Vystar® Corp. (OTCQB: VYST) is the majority owner of Rotmans Furniture and Carpet and environmentally friendly technologies and products to improve lives, such as RxAir® UV light air purification products, Vytex™ Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) and Fluid Energy Solutions. Vystar is the exclusive creator of Vytex, a multi-patented, all-natural, raw material that contains significantly reduced levels of the proteins found in natural rubber latex and can be used in over 40,000 products. Vytex NRL is a 100% renewable resource, environmentally safe, “green” and fully biodegradable. Vystar is working with manufacturers across a broad range of consumer and medical products bringing Vytex NRL to market in adhesives, gloves, balloons, condoms, other medical devices and natural rubber latex foam mattresses, toppers, and pillows. For more information, visit www.vytex.com.
Contacts:
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Investors: Lee Howley, lhowley@vytex.com 508-791-9114
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