Shining a light on education
Jarek Salek, Head of Engineering and Technical Operations at Uvisan, outlines using UV-C technology to prevent viral outbreaks in educational settings.
Over the past year, education at all levels has faced unprecedented levels of disruption. Teaching has been virtual and remote for significant lengths of time and in the short windows of time that establishments have been open, facilities have been severely limited, and out of bounds due to concerns surrounding hygiene and disinfection.
With the majority of the UK’s adult population having now received at least one dose of a Coronavirus vaccine, the spread of the virus is largely occurring among school- aged children and young adults, resulting in educational establishments increasingly becoming areas of concern.
As the vaccination rollout continues to be successful, it may become easy to forget that coronavirus and other infectious illnesses will not just disappear from our lives, even with a widespread vaccination programme. While the threat of a future pandemic is now recognised as very real, installing preventative measures will protect students whether there is a particularly nasty bout of seasonal flu, a COVID variant, or any other disease in circulation.
As restrictions ease, schools, colleges and universities must find efficient, reliable and cost-effective disinfection methods which will keep learners, teachers and parents protected throughout the remainder of the pandemic and beyond as society adopts a more hygiene-conscious
36 | EDUCATIONAL AND SCHOOL FACILITIES
outlook. These measures will keep any further disruption to education to an absolute minimum, whilst also giving the staff, students and visitors to educational institutions peace of mind that they are in a hygienic environment.
For many schools, colleges and universities, leaving rooms empty for hours after fumigating them or letting equipment quarantine for 72 hours between uses is incredibly impractical and unrealistic. For those using delicate technology, such as VR or audio headsets and iPads, using moisture or chemicals to disinfect equipment could cause expensive damage.
While many teachers have been using wasteful single-use disinfectant wipes, some institutions are leading the way in implementing a much more efficient and reliable defence against outbreaks of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Turning to short-wavelength UV light (UV-C) as a disinfection solution is saving staff time, effort and resources, all while guaranteeing more effective decontamination than wipes and chemicals can achieve.
What is UV-C disinfection?
When shone onto a surface, UV-C will disable any pathogens present. An energy transfer renders microbes unable to replicate or express the necessary proteins to survive, resulting in their death or inactivation.
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