Five Years After COVID-19: Far-UVC Light as a Public Health Solution

It's been almost five years since COVID-19 upended the world. A CBS News segment brought up an ally in preventing future pandemics: Far-UVC light.

This technology uses a specific ultraviolet wavelength (222 nanometers). Experts featured in the segment, such as Dr. David Brenner of Columbia University, noted that using far-UVC in places where people gather “could prevent the next potential pandemic”. Far-UVC requires no behavior change from the public and works behind the scenes to neutralize viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in real time. 

What Is Far-UVC Light (222 nm), and Why Is It Safe?

Far-UVC refers to ultraviolet light in the 200–230 nm wavelength range, with 222 nm being the most studied and utilized wavelength. At this wavelength, UV light efficiently destroys microorganisms by damaging their genetic material, just as conventional UVC does, but with a key difference: it remains safe to humans.

Far-UVC’s germicidal power has been proven against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including coronaviruses, influenza, drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA, and fungi such as Candida auris. Yet, unlike conventional UV, 222 nm light cannot penetrate the outer dead-cell layer of skin or the eye’s tear film, so it doesn’t cause sunburn, skin cancer, or eye injuries.

In the next section, you can read more about Far-UVC safety.

Dr. David Brenner and the Science Behind Far-UVC

A key figure driving Far-UVC research is Dr. David J. Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University. Dr. Brenner has spent years studying how 222 nm far-UVC light can kill pathogens without harming humans. He co-authored several studies demonstrating that far-UVC effectively inactivates airborne microorganisms while remaining safe for continuous use around people. One of the studies showed that ceiling mounted Far-UVC lamps killed over 98% of airborne microbes within 5 minutes, equivalent to 184 air changes per hour in a room,  far above typical ventilation rates.

Safety of Far-UVC at 222 nm

Far-UVC light is absorbed by the outer dead layer of skin and the tear layer of the eye, so they don’t harm living tissue.

Based on a study that was trying to test these wavelengths' safety over a long period, we wrote a blog article: Far-UVC and Eye Safety. A 36-month clinical study found no adverse effects on vision or corneal health in doctors exposed to 222 nm light daily, with no signs of cataracts or other eye damage over three years.

Dr.David Brenner

Far-UVC could prevent the next potential pandemic

Far-UVC - An Extra Layer of Public Health Protection

As we could see by the CBS segment, Far-UVC light is gaining recognition as a powerful preventive public health tool.  In the real world, this translates to significantly safer shared air. Researchers calculate that inactivating virus particles and bacteria droplets in the air, Far-UVC lowers the risk that one person’s cough or sneeze will infect someone else in the room.  As Dr. Brenner noted, Far-UVC will be “equally good at inactivating all future COVID variants, as well as new infectious viruses”, unlike strategies that target specific pathogens.

Public health experts see this technology as an opportunity to make indoor gatherings safer on a routine basis, reducing transmission of flu, colds, and other respiratory infections, and to be better prepared if a novel virus emerges.

UV Medico:  Bringing Far-UVC from Denmark to the World

We at UV Medico specialize in 222 nm disinfection technology. Headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark, we have in our portfolio several products that can be installed in ambulances, hospitals, offices, and cleanrooms.

We are composed of a team of scientists (in several fields like microbiology, virology, and photonics), experts, and pioneers passionate about preventing the spread of infectious viruses, both existing and emerging, as well as combating bacteria, mold, spores, and even antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

We believe in building strong relationships with our customers, understanding their unique needs, and delivering tailored solutions.

Far-UVC in Action: From Ambulances to Cleanrooms

Far-UVC technology is already being used in a variety of environments to safeguard people. Below are a few real-world examples of UV Medico’s installations.

• Ambulances: UV Medico partnered with emergency service provider Falck to equip 56 new ambulances in Denmark with UV222 far-UVC lamps. Our compact UV222 Ambulance fixtures mount inside the patient compartment and run continuously during operation. The Far-UVC light disinfects the air and high-touch surfaces between and even during patient transports, reducing the likelihood of pathogens spreading to paramedics or the next patient.  

• Hospitals: Advanced medical centers are installing far-UVC for continuous infection control. In 2024, UV Medico’s Vertex 222 was installed at the Military Medical City Hospital in Doha, Qatar. What makes this product particularly fascinating is the fact that it is designed to be either fixed or portable, making it easy to position in key locations within the desired area. The lamps utilize strategically positioned light sources to ensure uniform distribution of decontamination.

• Cleanroom Facilities: In pharmaceutical manufacturing and biotech, maintaining sterile production areas is paramount. UV Medico’s UV222 Booth is a solution that is now being adopted to improve cleanroom hygiene. In February 2025, the company announced that another two UV222 Booths had passed Factory Acceptance Testing and were shipping to a pharmaceutical client’s facility. These walk-in booths serve as an airlock: fully gowned operators step inside for mere seconds of Far-UVC exposure before entering the cleanroom, drastically reducing any microbes on their suits, masks, and equipment. The UV222 Booth can decontaminate 99.9% of bacteria and viruses on a person in under 30 seconds.

  

The Economic Value of Cleaner Indoor Air

Beyond the health benefits, Far-UVC technology also offers an economic advantage for businesses and society in general. Improved indoor air quality means fewer people getting sick, which translates to cost savings that can far outweigh the investment in this technology. A recent cost-benefit analysis titled “Reducing Indoor Infections: The Economic Potential” examined the impact of installing Far-UVC lamps in common public spaces. The study found that the benefit-to-cost ratios were astonishingly high. For example, in workplaces like offices or restaurants during a normal winter virus season, the benefits were estimated at up to 290 times the cost of the lamps. In a severe pandemic scenario, that ratio shot up to over 20,000:1,  meaning the health and economic payoff of Far-UVC is thousands of times greater than what is spent on the equipment.

In practical terms, outfitting indoor spaces with far-UVC could save 2.4 sick days per employee per year on average. For a large office, this adds up to substantial productivity gains and reduced sick-leave costs. The study calculated roughly €1,500 in net benefit per person annually in a typical flu season, thanks to fewer illnesses spreading.

Toward Healthier Indoor Spaces with Far-UVC

As highlighted by the CBS News five-year COVID-19 retrospective, this technology offers a credible, science-backed way to curb the spread of viruses indoors. Thanks to researchers like Dr. David Brenner, we know that 222 nm UV light can be used safely around people while effectively neutralizing pathogens in the air and on surfaces. And thanks to innovators like UV Medico (right here in Denmark), this science is being put into practice through robust products lighting up ambulances, hospitals, cleanrooms, and more.