Listen – National Hygiene Week

It’s National Hygiene Week, at a time when hygiene is more important than ever, and it seems there may be an unlikely solution to keeping things clean and Covid-free in the workplace: light.

Various methods of destroying the virus have been trialed, but few are as effective as the use of UV-C light. Like UV light, UV-C is a form of radiation that can be used to destroy bacteria, viruses and spores. It works by destroying the DNA and RNA of the pathogen, rendering them harmless, and to date, all bacteria and viruses tested have been successfully destroyed by UV-C disinfection. A UV-C solution produced by lighting experts Signify is proving to be 99.99% effective against SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, after just 10 minutes of exposure to the air of the room.

The 19th July is set to see all Covid-19 restrictions lifted and workers return to the office, but with case numbers approaching 5 million, it’s clear that Covid-19 is here to stay. A year ago, experts told MPs that the virus would be with us for ‘decades to come’, and despite the success of the vaccine and its rollout programme, it is imperative that we learn to live as safely as we can with the virus, using appropriate technology in order to do so.

Aston spoke to Stephen Rouatt, CEO of Signify.