The idea making the rounds online that UV light could be used to disinfect hands, clothing or other household objects is either incorrect or dangerous, depending on what type of UV is in question.
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But a short-wave spectrum called UV-C is much more dangerous to all genetic material. It’s a germicide, which means it can kill up to 99.99 per cent of bacteria and viruses. The UV-C emitted by the sun is stopped by the ozone layer, so we aren’t directly exposed to it. That’s a good thing because our fragile skin and eyes couldn’t handle it.
When produced artificially, UV-C breaks up the genetic material of the pathogens floating in air or water and sticking to surfaces so that they cannot function or reproduce.
“All bacteria and viruses tested to date (many hundreds over the years, including other coronaviruses) respond to UV disinfection,” according to the
International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA). “Some organisms are more susceptible to UV-C disinfection than others, but all tested so far do respond at the appropriate doses.”