Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

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.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • Moline-Coal Valley School District to Consolidate Two Schools into New Facility

    The Moline-Coal Valley School District in Moline, Ill., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff from two existing schools, according to local news. Robert Ontiveros Elementary School will serve as the new home for Lincoln-Irving Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.