Using UV light to kill coronavirus: The benefits and risks - CNET

UV light sanitizers are popping up as the answer to killing coronavirus on our hands and phones, but consumer devices may have more risks than they're worth.

UV-C technology is nothing new -- it's been used before in consumer devices such as the PhoneSoap, pictured -- but safety concerns are on the rise as companies claim their UV-C light devices kill the coronavirus.

With man-made hand sanitizer in short supply, many people are turning to what's been called "nature's hand sanitizer," or ultraviolet light.

There are three classes of UV light: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

There's man-made UV-C light, too: It's what's in the UV light sanitizers that companies claim kill the coronavirus.

There's no evidence right now that UV-A and UV-B rays can kill the coronavirus, so no, going outside on a sunny day won't reduce your risk of catching it.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reported that ultraviolet light probably can kill the coronavirus.

This means what you see may not be what you get -- an extremely important consideration, because although very low-dose, far-range UV-C light may not harm humans or animals, using too powerful a dose too close to your skin can indeed be harmful. ?

Consequences of using UV-C light on your body can include severe sunburn-like burns and retinal damage. .

UV light is classified into types based on wavelength, he says, with UV-A light (the longest wavelength) being most associated with skin aging and also with certain skin cancers, and UV-B light (middle wavelength) being associated with sunburn and most skin cancers. .

UV-C light is what's used by sanitizers to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying and disrupting their nucleic acids, Dr.

"Additionally, since UV sanitizers employ UV-C light, which can be dangerous, care should be taken to avoid exposure to the skin and eyes.

Self-cleaning water bottles that use UV-C rays to kill germs like Larq should also be safe when used properly, because they typically only work when the cap is screwed on tight, so no UV-C light can leak out.   

Plus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say UV light "germicidal effectiveness and use is influenced by organic matter; wavelength; type of suspension; temperature; type of microorganism; and UV intensity." To effectively kill viruses, UV-C light must be emitted in a range of 200 to 280 nanometers, which has potential for harm

Be careful about using UV light devices on in-home surfaces