Corona Oven or UV Light Booth: India develops tech for frontline health workers

Ultraviolet light is getting a lot of attention when it comes to disinfecting and reusing masks that medical workers need to safely do their jobs. That’s because one segment of UV light is extremely effective when it comes to killing microorganisms, including coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19.

Studies have claimed that three types of UV Light exist and Sunlight is one of them. Sunlight (UVA), though, cannot kill Coronavirus. Next, there’s UVB, which can damage the DNA in our skin, leading to sunburn and eventually, skin cancer. Concentrated UV (UVC) can kill COVID-19 but it is too harmful to human skin.

UV-C is much more dangerous to all genetic material. It’s a germicide, which means it can kill up to 99.99 per cent of bacteria and viruses. The UV-C emitted by the sun is stopped by the ozone layer, so we aren’t directly exposed to it. That’s a good thing because our fragile skin and eyes couldn’t handle it.

When produced artificially, UV-C breaks up the genetic material of the pathogens floating in air or water and sticking to surfaces so that they cannot function or reproduce. So, there is hope to use UVC to kill COVID-19 in a chamber booth.

Amid a shortage of personal protective equipment and masks, doctors across the country are contracting the infection while treating coronavirus patients. To deal with this, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), an autonomous institute under DST in Thiruvananthapuram, has developed a UV light booth. Companies have modelled on a telephone booth. With this technology, doctors can examine patients without coming in their direct contact.

The glass chamber booth has a small opening on one side for the doctor to use a stethoscope. The doctor can also see the patient through the glass. Once the patient vacates the chamber after examination, doctors can turn on UV lights for three minutes to disinfect it. The booth will be placed in hospitals.

How a typical UV Light Booth looks like

“Providing the highest level of safeguards while interacting with carriers of the highly contagious virus is a priority. This booth will protect doctors and healthcare personnel in treating patients. It will be placed in hospitals treating coronavirus patients,” said Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST. The improvements are a component of the ministry’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) initiative. They have institutes across the state to the job that enhance India’s response to COVID-19.