Far-UVC’s wavelength is shorter than conventional germicidal wavelength -- about 222 nanometers, rather than 254 nanometers. Brenner was studying this type of light to kill influenza before COVID-19 hit.
Although it is possible to use UVC when people are out of harm’s way -- as hospitals have done in operating rooms after hours, and New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority is doing on subways -- there needs to be an effective way to use this technology while people are around to help reopen the economy, Brenner says. He envisions the use of safe overhead far-UVC lamps in indoor spaces like doctors’ offices, schools, shelters, airports, and airplanes.rts, and airplanes.
