UVC LED technology could help schools reopen safely

As the late summer of 2020 approaches, the safe reopening of schools is of major concern as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Recognizing this, UVC LED maker Bolb, Inc. (Livermore, CA; a channel partner of Laser Components USA) is taking a leadership role in creating a pathogen elimination response to this global challenge. The implementation of virus-inactivating UVC Germicidal LED (GLED) technology helps protect educators, staff, and students by reducing surface contamination and creating air disinfection methods to help contain delineated safe breathing zones.

GLED-based solutions, in addition to other factors, can help in providing fast, vigilant, and global security. The small-form-factor solution is effective, easy to install, non-toxic, and personalized for each learning space. It helps combat virus-laden aerosol and infectious droplets that are airborne. Lightweight aerosols exhaled from those who are asymptomatic travel across rooms, while heavier, more complex droplets settle out of the air within 3 feet. The application of transmission devices lies ideally between all points of exhale and inhale for each student. 

Intervention in treating the air at each desk or learning pod could be the best approach to keeping SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) at bay. Inactivation of the virus using UVC GLED technology has been certified by multiple Bio L2 Labs and ongoing testing at government agencies. GLEDs have been shown to achieve a 99.99% reduction, microbiological disinfection, of both the hCOV surrogate and the actual SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. 

For more information, please visit bolb.co and lasercomponents.com.