——Can UV lamp kill the coronavirus?

——Let me give a reliable and definite answer: Yes!

You can refer to the “Quick Guide to the Treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia“, which says: 75% alcohol, ether, chloroform, formaldehyde, chlorinated disinfectants, peracetic acid, and ultraviolet light can inactivate the virus.

If you still don’t believe me, I guess these days, we are wallowing in the wind with the pseudo-science and rumors of the whole, there is no way, the information explosion in the era, we do not trust the official.

There are some things that we have to do on our own, develop our own judgment, come together to understand the UV light!

Let’s dive right in now, and you can click on the question that interest you, 

1 Mechanism of virus-killing by UV lamp

2 Dangerous killers – UV rays

1 Mechanism of virus-killing by UV lamp

The most familiar sunlight contains ultraviolet light, of which the wavelength of 100 to 275 nm can destroy the molecular structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or RNA (ribonucleic acid) of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, chlamydia, etc.), leading to cell death and a germicidal effect.

uv lamp

Medical UVC lamps have two main spectral lines: 254 nm and 185 nm. 254 nm UVC kills bacteria by irradiating the DNA of microorganisms, while 185 nm UVC turns the O2 in the air into O3 (ozone), which itself has a sterilizing effect.

Special times, if you can not buy 75% alcohol, you can use UV lamps, but we need to remind you that both are very dangerous, improper use of alcohol has a misfire explosion, incorrect use of UV, eye cancer is also not negotiable

2 Dangerous killers – UV rays

UV rays can kill viruses and bacteria, but they can also harm you. UV rays are a risk factor for all types of skin cancer and can also cause photokeratitis.

Because many recreational dining activities and occupational activities involve UV exposure, for example, we often see an open UV lamp in a restaurant, today we focus on photokeratitis.

uv lamp

UV damage to both eyes has a certain lag because, with UV-induced photokeratitis, patients are usually not aware of radiation damage until 6-12 hours after exposure, at which point there is severe pain, congestion, photophobia, and inability to open the eyes bilaterally. In particular, but the patient is accompanied by facial erythema and edema, typically suggesting that the source of the injury is radiation exposure. Patients are typically anxious and irritable due to severe pain, and many times they do not know what is wrong with them.

The human cornea transmits most of the light in the visible spectrum but absorbs ultraviolet light. UV light at wavelengths <290 nm is absorbed by almost 100% of the cornea, and light exposure can damage the corneal epithelium, harming receptor axon terminals. In humans without corneal epithelium, the subepithelial nerve plexus is irritated by various environmental influences, which in turn leads to severe pain in both eyes.

Therefore, if UV lamps are used for disinfection in the home, family members must leave the room being disinfected during disinfection to avoid UV light exposure to the skin and eyes. In addition, UV lamps that produce ozone should be ventilated after disinfection is completed.

If you are unlucky enough to be injured by a UV lamp in your life, please consult an ophthalmologist immediately. It is recommended that you wear sunglasses and stay in a dimly lit room until your symptoms improve, which usually takes 1-3 days to get better.

Reference: Photokeratitis, Uptdate,2020