The pandemic may be waning, but the coronavirus is still out there. If you’re planning a convention, meeting, or corporate gathering in the next few months, you’ll want to incorporate the newest COVID event safety measures and technologies.
In addition to concerns of attendees becoming ill, companies have a financial incentive to ensure the health of their employees. Those who contract COVID-19 not only face days of missed work, but possibly weeks or months if they’re one of the estimated 30 percent who suffer from long COVID afterward.
And chronically ill employees lead to lower productivity an increased health care costs.
So wouldn’t you like to make your next event as virus-free as possible?
Beyond the common-sense event safety steps
Of course as new variants or spikes in cases arrive, you’ll put masking and testing requirements in place for attendees and staff, as well as state-of-the-art filtration systems. The Historic Alfred I. duPont Building in downtown Miami enjoys soaring, 70-foot ceilings to allow for maximum air circulation.
But another option you might consider is using is “far UVC” disinfecting devices. Scientists have known for decades that ultraviolet (UV) light kills germs. The problem is, UV light is dangerous to humans.
Recently, however, a Columbia University researcher announced the discovery of “far UVC,” a safer type of UVC energy. It features a narrower band of UVC light with a shorter, safer wavelength.
“Far UVC light has a very limited range and cannot penetrate through the outer dead-cell layer of human skin or the tear layer in the eye, so it’s not a human health hazard,” lead researcher David Brenner said in a university news release.
However, “because viruses and bacteria are much smaller than human cells, far UVC light can reach their DNA and kill them,” he explained. “We saw we can kill 99 percent of the [coronavirus] with a very low dose of far UVC light.”
Safe and effective
Also known as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems, these devices have been used successfully in hospitals, school districts, and by the Department of Defense to remove viral particles from the air. Since the pandemic, several companies have created portable UVGI devices.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “UVGI systems can be used to control SARS-CoV-2 as a useful ventilation tool to consider in reducing the spread of infectious pathogens.”
If you’re interested in using the devices at your next event, the CDC provides guidelines on what to look for and how to avoid manufacturers who may be selling substandard systems.