Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:
Jet Blue, New York public transit, and others are using UV Light technology to help sanitize their spaces. UV technology is now part of the plan to slow the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses at the Mundelein Fire Department. They’ve installed a UV air disinfectant device in their bunk room that uses a fan to shoot air through intense ultraviolet light. “We can’t just spray chemicals in a room and leave for three hours. We have to be able to live in these spaces. So, the UV technology was essential,” said Mundelein Fire Department Deputy Chief Darren Brents.
According to the CDC, the light works on the molecular level. It can damage germ DNA, making the germ itself inert. UV technology isn’t a replacement for surface cleaning, but part of a multi-pronged approach to stop the spread of the virus.
From the Mundelein Fire Department Facebook page:
On Friday, Mark Rivera from ABC7 came to Mundelein to discuss the steps we have taken to protect our firefighters during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our mitigation strategy involved equipping our personnel with the proper PPE, surface disinfection, and addressing air quality.
Air quality and the spread of viruses, mold, bacteria, and other pathogens in the air we breathe have not been publicly discussed. Recently, a chorus of scientists have concluded these and other viruses (influenzas, measles, etc.) are aerosolized and can remain in the air and travel significant distances. We proactively addressed this issue with the purchase of the Zone360 UV-C device to protect our first responders.
ABC7 reporter Mark Rivera graciously came to Mundelein to share our story with our community to help raise awareness.