According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases1, there are many forms of coronavirus. Three strains that are potentially fatal to humans (if left untreated) include: SARS- CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. These strains target the breathing or respiratory systems of humans, making clean air an essential aspect of recovery. To date, there are no pharmaceutical drugs or vaccines available on the market today that eliminates SARS-CoV-2. Medical treatment for coronavirus involves addressing the primary and underlying symptoms associated with the disease, such as inflammation, difficulty breathing, fever, pulmonary fibrosis and more.

UV Effectiveness on Previous Coronavirus Strains

SARS-CoV 

UV-C light is effective in eliminating different types of coronavirus. In a 2004 study2, scientists examined the effects of UV-C light in the 254nm spectrum on survivability of SARS-CoV cultures. Researchers were able to inactivate SARS-CoV to non-infectious levels through UV-C exposure. Following this study, scientists attempted to eliminate SARS-CoV from non-cellular products in a 2006 experiment3 using the following disinfection methods: heat treatment, UV-C light and chemical treatment. The results indicated that heat treatment at 60°C deactivated SARS-CoV in 15-30 minutes. UV-C light was able to achieve sanitation in 40 minutes. Comparing the two disinfection methods, multiple cycles of heat treatment can damage the surface or equipment not designed for use or exposure at high temperatures. At germicidal doses, UV-C light does not have the same effect on surfaces (an extremely high dose of UV-C light is required to cause damage to non-sensitive surfaces). 

The results from the two studies above can be confirmed in another research. In a 2003 study4, scientists successfully disinfected the SARS coronavirus to undetectable levels by exposing the microbes to UV irradiation for 60 minutes. The researchers were able to conclude that UV exposure caused the virus to become ineffective and reduced viral activity to a non-infectious state. More recently, a study published in 20205 showed that UV-C treatment against SARS- CoV was still effective since it emergence more than 15 years ago. In this study, researchers applied shortwave UV-C light to inactivate SARS-CoV from platelet concentrates and plasma. During treatment, a half to 75% dose of the full UV-C dose (0.2 J/cm2) was administered to SARS-CoV. This treatment reduced the virus to ineffective levels and to the limit of detection (LOD) in platelet concentrates. Researchers were able to eradicate SARS-CoV in plasma at 25% of the full UV-C light dose (30 J/cm2). 

All studies conducted over a period of more than 15 years that attempted to prove the effectiveness of UV-C light treatment against SARS-CoV were successful and displayed very similar results, when applying the same UV germicidal light and dosage range. Furthermore, recent studies showed that less than the full UV-C dose is capable of deactivating the virus to non-infectious levels.