There are three primary methods of applying UVC systems against infectious agents in the air, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.

They are: Upper-air, coil irradiation, and airstream disinfection. Upper-air systems are typically installed in room space.Coil irradiation and airstream disinfection systems are installed within air handling units or duct runs within HVAC systems.

Using UVC radiation requires many protocols to use safely. The radiation must be contained, usually in a device of some kind. When UVC light is used to disinfect a room, people must be cleared from the area. Sometimes the robots need to be repositioned to eliminate “shadowing,” which blocks the UV light from touching the surface intended for disinfection.

Installing UVC lights to irradiate a room or determining the placement of mobile devices is also a complicated process and must be appropriately validated to work effectively. 

Ultraviolet light is being used within healthcare facilities and in the industrial sector. For instance, the Carnivore Meat Company in Green Bay, Wis., offered the use of an ultraviolet sterilization machine to help local hospitals sterilize face masks, according to an article on the FOX 11 website.

Read the full Infection Control Today article.