Coronavirus and the SPH Medical UV Box
South Hill, VA – March 16, 2020 – With the global alarm surrounding Coronavirus COVID-19, Advanced Ultra-Violet Systems’ (AUVS) has asked Dr. Wayne Clark for his professional opinion on the AUVS KR615 Germicidal Enclosure’s ability to treat COVID-19 on mobile devices including phone and tablets. Such devices have been proven to be highly contaminated but are often left unaddressed when hand washing protocols are discussed.
Dr. Clark is a one the nation’s leading experts on UV energy for antimicrobial applications. A Ph.D. in electrical engineering with specialization in controlled nuclear fusion and plasma physics research, Dr. Clark holds 18 patents and has authored more than 25 published technical articles. His patented Photon Trap Technology is currently protecting the US Pentagon against bio-terrorism and has been put in service at leading medical facilities across the US through the KR615 Germicidal Enclosure, widely known as “The UV Box”.
According to Dr. Wayne Clark, PhD, The AUVS UV Box’s ability to disinfect COVID-19 on mobile devices would be at least as high as the rates it achieved against C.diff and MRSA, specifically up to a 99.995% or 4.5 log disinfection rate. Dr. Clark stated that the susceptibility of COVID-19 to 254 nm UV, as used in The UV Box, should be close to that of SARS, which is a similar coronavirus.
Tests on the SARS coronavirus show that it is very easily killed by 254 nm germicidal UV, explained Dr. Clark. He cited data published by Wladyslaw J. Kowalski in 2015 (Aerobiological Engineering Technical Report, 25 November 2015) indicating that the dose required for 1 log deactivation of SARS is about 7 J/M2, which translates to 0.7 mJ/cm2. Dr. Clark points out this is a very low dose.
By comparison, the KR615 produces a dose of approximately 200 mJ/cm2 in a 55 sec disinfection cycle. This is 286 times the dose of 0.7 mJ/cm2 required for 1 log or 90% deactivation of SARS. Rather than thinking about 286 logs of disinfection, explains Dr. Clark, suffice it to say that the disinfection level would be very high. The disinfection levels for COVID-19 with the KR615 should be at least as high as those that we have achieved for C. diff and MRSA, namely up to 99.995% or more than 4 logs.
Urgently Used by More Than 180 Hospitals and Hospital Groups
The testing of The UV Box against C. Diff and MRSA, referred to by Dr. Clark, were done by an independent FDA consulting lab. Testing on Norovirus with the UV Box was conducted by a lab specializing in viruses and yielded a 5.25 log reduction rate or 99.999%.
The KR615 is currently being used by more than 180 hospitals and hospital groups to fight infections. The enclosure was developed specifically to target handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets that move freely in, around and through healthcare environments putting clinicians, patients, visitors and the general public at risk.
The rise of smartphone and tablet usage, in hospitals, restaurants, food processing facilities and throughout the business and manufacturing world–along with studies confirming exceedingly high contamination levels on these devices–has made The UV Box a vital, first-line of defense and integral part of Hand Hygiene initiatives.
Safe for All Handheld Devices
The UV Box is lauded for its ease of use, durability and speed – disinfecting multiple devices in just 55 seconds with the push of a single button.
Adding to its appeal is the fact that it represents zero threat to handheld devices such as smart phones and tablets. On March 5, 2020 Spectralink, a leading mobile communication solutions provider working in the Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing and Hospitality industries, approved The UV Box for disinfection of its leading Versity product line.
Learn more about how facilities are using the UV Box to disinfect N95 Masks, mobile devices and more. The CDC discusses UV Disinfection and the benefits and limitations. The UV Box germicidal enclosure provides 360 degree with close proximity UV light reaching all sides of any object that fits inside for total disinfection and has been tested with 99.995% effectiveness against bacterial spores! Contact SPH Medical for more information info@sphmedical.com.