How Does UVC Disinfection Work?

The Importance of Disinfection

Pathogen transmission – resulting in healthcare-associated infections – costs hospitals billions of dollars annually. Many of these infections are transmitted from surface to surface, which means that every surface must be cleaned and disinfected. With manual cleaning methods, some spots are missed. As an adjunct to manual cleaning, UVC disinfection can help disinfect the areas that often get missed when using manual cleaning methods.

What is UVC Disinfection?

UVC radiation is a known disinfectant for air and nonporous surfaces, according to the FDA. UVC technology deploys UV light to penetrate the cell walls of spores, bacteria and viruses, and renders harmful pathogens unable to reproduce and spread. UVC radiation has effectively been used for decades to reduce the spread of bacteria and harmful pathogens. When bundled with manual cleaning and disinfection protocols, this technology significantly helps to reduce the presence of harmful pathogens.

How to Choose the Best UVC System

UVC radiation can only inactivate a virus if the virus is directly exposed to the radiation for a specific time and delivered dose. Some UVC systems don’t administer the proper dose to effectively eradicate a virus and often miss areas that may contain dangerous pathogens. The right UVC system should accurately measure the delivered UVC dose and include patented, remote UVC sensors and a “pause and reposition” feature that ensure that targeted areas of the room have received the optimal dosage needed to kill harmful pathogens. These features help to address obstacles that might prevent areas from being disinfected. In addition to measuring the delivered UVC doses, other important functions include: tracking treatment data, monitoring effectiveness, and sharing critical data with necessary stakeholders. The best UVC solutions help staff quickly and efficiently disinfect crucial treatment areas, thereby improving room turnover times and quickly returning rooms to service.