The importance of maintaining good hygiene in hospitals cannot be overstated; without good practice, vulnerable patients are at risk of contracting further illnesses, which can be fatal in the case of immunocompromised patients. This is crucial now more than ever, while a new coronavirus courses throughout the world. Traditional cleaning methods are effective, but they can be time-consuming and costly; UVC light disinfection is a new form of disinfection using only ultraviolet light.

What is UVC light disinfection?

UV light is scientifically proven as a form of antimicrobial technology; it works by destroying the DNA of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, which means it can be effective in killing mould, viruses such as the new coronavirus, and bacteria including MRSA. Alex Brezow, a microbiologist who has written on the subject, says that “UV light is lethal to bacteria and viruses because of its high frequency that scrambles and damages their nuclear material. When it damages the DNA (or RNA) code of these pathogens, it also triggers lethal mutations that prevent them from reproducing properly.” UVC, which is the highest energy wavelength of UV light, is the most effective at killing bacteria and microbes and has been used for years in industrial and hospital disinfection. Today, UVC light Robot disinfection is fast becoming the benchmark for effective disinfection of hospitals and other public spaces.

Why is UVC light disinfection used in hospitals?

UVC light disinfection Robots are one of the safest, easiest and most effective ways to disinfect whole hospital rooms, operating theatres, and hospital equipment. It’s a particularly good choice of disinfectant for hospitals because it kills the spore-forming bacterium Clostridium difficile, which is a common source of infections acquired in hospital; this is a bacterium which is difficult to kill using traditional cleaning methods. One study conducted by Duke University found that using UVC light to disinfect a room after standard room cleaning strategies decreased the incidence across the hospital of two common healthcare-related infections: Clostridium difficile and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

Why is UVC light disinfection better than traditional disinfection methods?

UVC light disinfection is especially effective because it’s a method of disinfection in which it is so easy to target every surface at once. Whole room UVC light disinfection was first introduced into hospitals in the US in around 2007. Because these devices disinfect virtually all of the surfaces in a space at the same time, it’s easy to conduct thorough, comprehensive sanitation with UVC disinfection systems with no risk of human error. Not only this, but they require little in the way of labour and utilise no chemicals, making them entirely cost-efficient and safe.