Nova Scotia researchers to test whether UV light reduces COVID-19 at long-term care homes

Researchers in Nova Scotia are launching a $1.7-million project to test whether ultraviolet (UV) lights installed in long-term care facilities will reduce influenza-like illnesses, respiratory infections and COVID-19 infections among residents.

In addition to studying the effectiveness of UV lights, the research will also evaluate how residents and staff respond to the lights and how costs compare with other available infection prevention options, Research Nova Scotia reported. This will enable the rapid deployment of “far-UVC” lighting (which has a 222-nanometer wavelength) in other long-term care facilities if the technology proves sound.

Nova Scotia has the highest proportion of seniors in Canada, according to Research Nova Scotia, an independent, not-for-profit corporation.

“We want to see if far-UVC light can kill airborne viral transmissions, including the SARS CoV-2 virus, in long-term care facilities,” said lead researcher Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Dalhousie University.

The research, with oversight by an expert advisory council, will take place at two long-term care facilities in the province that have different room configurations, age of residents and history with COVID-19 infections.

The project, supported by Research Nova Scotia and designed by Nova Scotia Health, is one of 20 COVID-related research projects funded by Research Nova Scotia since March 2020. Funding was allocated from an initial $50-million contribution from the provincial government to the Nova Scotia COVID-19 Response Council administered by Dalhousie University.

Studies show UVC light kills coronaviruses

Scientists discovered UVC (also called germicidal UV light) more than a century ago. Since then, it has been used worldwide in applications like water treatment and preventing the spread of pathogens in various sectors, including in hospitals and schools.

The UVC spectrum includes wavelengths from 200 to 280 nanometers .These wavelengths are known for the ability to eliminate 99.9 per cent of pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and mold spores.

A study last year at Columbia University Medical Center found that very low exposure to far-UVC light killed more than 99.9% of seasonal coronaviruses present in airborne droplets. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

“Based on our results, continuous airborne disinfection with far-UVC light at the current regulatory limit could greatly reduce the level of airborne virus in indoor environments occupied by people,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. David Brenner, PhD, director of Columbia University’s Center for Radiological Research.

Lind Equipment, based in Markham, Ont., sells a UVC LED light system created by alumni from Western University that the company says can effectively kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The system has been approved for use at Global Affairs Canada to decontaminate work surfaces.

Acuva Technologies, a Burnaby, B.C.-based manufacturer of UVC LED disinfection products, has compiled a list of recent scientific literature from peer-reviewed journals on the effectiveness of UV light against SARS-CoV-2.

R$