A wide range of disinfecting products adopting UV LEDs or UV lamps are become a hit in the consumer electronics market as people are using them to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. However, The International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) and RadTech North America consisting of UV equipment vendors, scientists, engineers, consultants, and members of the medical profession published a press release to inform the public that UV light is not safe to be used directly on the human body.

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These organizations noted that there are no protocols to advise or to permit the safe use of UV light directly on the human body at the wavelengths and exposures proven to efficiently kill viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. UV light under the conditions known to kill such viruses are also known to cause severe skin burns, skin cancer, and eye damage.

Thus, they strongly recommend that anyone using UV light to disinfect medical equipment, surfaces, or air in the context of COVID-19, applications that are supported by sound scientific evidence, follow all recommended health and safety precautions and to avoid direct exposure of the body to the UV light.

Disinfecting applications based on UV LEDs or UV lamps are rising in the market for combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Since using UV radiation for disinfection could be dangerous if the devices are not operating correctly, many associations in the industry are trying to inform the public with more details of UV disinfection. The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recently issued a report to provide professional information for UV disinfection and its potential to safely reduce the transmission of coronavirus.