Skin and eye protection against ultraviolet C from ultraviolet germicidal irradiation devices during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

With the COVID‐19 pandemic depleting personal protective equipment worldwide, various methods including ultraviolet C (UVC) germicidal irradiation (UVGI) have been implemented to decontaminate N95 filtering facepiece respirators. These devices pose a risk for UVC exposure to the operator with reported adverse effects generally limited to the eyes and skin. Our hospitals are currently using UVC devices for N95 decontamination with a few reported cases of face and neck erythema from exposure. Because sunscreens are designed and tested for UVA and UVB protection only, their effects on blocking UVC are largely unknown. Therefore, our objective was to determine if various sunscreens, UV goggles, and surgical mask face shields minimize UVC exposure from UVGI devices. Our study clearly demonstrated that healthcare workers responsible for the disinfection of PPE using UVGI devices should always at least utilize clear face shields or UV goggles and sunscreen to protect against side effects of UVC exposure.

Systematic evaluating and modeling of SARS-CoV-2 UVC disinfection

“…3 D). This discovery of vitamins and amino acids’ absorption of UVC is of particular interest, as many UV protection products can only block UVA and UVB light 52 , 53 . No product is available to block UVC.…”

Antiseptic drugs and disinfectants with experience of the second year of COVID-19 pandemic-related side effects

“…A review of human exposure limits for UV-C radiation points out that the current exposure limits may be extremely conservative, and could be increased, which may be consequential in controlling COVID-19 ( Sliney & Stuck, 2021 ) [R]. For operators with exposure to UV-C, for example, during the decontamination of N95 filtering facepiece respirators, the eyes and skin must be protected with face shields or UV goggles and sunscreen ( Lyons et al, 2021 ) [E]. An evaluation of household UV-C germicidal devices found that several devices are ineffective against SARS-CoV-2, specifically those based on low-dose UV-C light-emitting diodes.…”

A Device for Ultraviolet Light Sanitization of Face Masks

“…While masks are considered effective in limiting the transmission of COVID-19, we predicted that mask wearing would likely lead to the accumulation of both environmental and host microorganisms on internal and external mask surfaces. Of note, short wavelength Ultraviolet C (UVC) light at 254nm has been implemented in hospitals to decontaminate N95 respirators, allowing their reuse and helping to preserve the supply of personal protective equipment [13,14]. UVC has been found to be effective at killing multiple coronaviruses, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and has been used routinely for various medical and domestic microbial sterilization procedures [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22].…”