COVID-19 and Schools

CDC's Ultraviolet Light Disinfectant Guidelines Can Help Schools Reopen

• By Matt Jones
• 02/18/21

One of the nation’s top priorities is to be able to safely reopen schools for in-person learning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently recommended ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) as a means for disinfecting shared spaces, especially those where ventilation is limited. UVC (ultraviolet-C) light has been proven to help deactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. And the Washington-based company Safeology offers tried-and-tested UVC products that can help schools satisfy CDC guidelines—for less than a dollar per day.

Safeology UVC products can remove up to 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 particles from the air and various surfaces. Following a rigorous research and testing process, the products have demonstrated themselves to be a safe, affordable method of cleansing public spaces and reducing the risk of virus transmission or contamination.

According to Jim Mischel, Safeology CEO, “The CDC recommends several mitigation strategies already built into Safeology products. Among the most important: Use UVC to inactivate SARS-Cov-2, maximize air filtration, reduce and dilute potential contaminants, and increase the delivery of clean air.”

Safeology products designed to do so include the UVC Upper Room Linear Wall and Linear Recessed Fixtures, as well as UVC Mobile Air Purifiers. All three of these products are safe to use while the room in question is occupied, running continuously in the background in spaces like classrooms, locker rooms, and lunchrooms. Similarly, the UVC Tower Elite is designed to inactivate surface viruses.

Safeology, based in Everett, Wash., is a division of Electric Mirror and was founded in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic. Its UVC products meet the standards of the Buy American Act, and they focus on the procedures specified in President Joe Biden’s recent Executive Order regarding the safe and permanent reopening of schools.

“Once we learned how effective UVC light is in disinfecting classrooms and how it can help keep our students and faculty safe from COVID-19, we knew it was the way to go,” said Superintendent of Cedar Park Christian Schools Blair Bryant. “We began using Safeology’s UVC products last September, and we’ve been able to keep our school open for in-person learning the entire school year.”