With Covid-19 rampaging through the U.S, people have begun adapting to a new age of prevention and sanitization. Cloth face masks have saturated the market while liquid sanitizers and cleaning wipes are nowhere to be seen. A different form of cleaning exists outside our human realm of vision. UVC light. These lamps are widely used as a source of sanitization and sterilization are by no means new. 

History 

With the evaluation of pathogens came the forward momentum of human exploration and discovery. Bright minds in the scientific field lept towards the future of medicine. In1878, Arthur Downes and Thomas P. Blunt performed research describing the sterilization of bacteria exposed to short-wavelength light. Once again UVC light was in the forefront  in 1903 when the Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to Niels Finsen for his use of UV against lupus vulgaris and tuberculosis. UV light devices have long been known to be effective and have already been in use pre-COVID for sanitation purposes across the globe. 

Uses Now

These days UVC light radiation is a commonly known form of disinfection for air, water, and nonporous surfaces. UVC radiation has effectively been used for decades to reduce the spread of bacteria, such as tuberculosis. For this reason, UVC lamps are often called "germicidal" lamps. Many of the UVC lamps sold for home use are of low dose, so it may take longer exposure to a given surface area to potentially provide effective inactivation of a bacteria or virus. However, each bulb is different. Hospitals have been using UVC light wavelengths for years to help defeat superbugs and use uvc light to clean operating rooms, patient rooms, and other healthcare settings. There are also dozens of educational facilities that have installed upper-room germicidal UVC fixtures which use UV light to disinfect the air circulating through the HVAC system. 

PurLite difference 

PurLite has performed independent lab studies with two organizations. Both were carefully vetted for their capabilities and industry reputation. PurLite has been developed by Engineers and Scientists. A recent study found pathogenic bacteria on 80% of the children’s toys that they tested. Even more frightening, phones have 18 times more harmful bacteria than the handle on a public bathroom! Dealing with chemicals like bleach can be potentially dangerous and can cause more harm than good. We want to provide you with a product that is efficient at keeping your home safe. 

It’s that time of year again when a runny nose accompanied by a cough runs rampant, except those symptoms have been prevalent all year round with the rise of Covid-19 in the U.S. The common cold and flu aren’t the only bugs that will be circulating throughout this upcoming winter. This year we have to worry about Covid too. Unfortunately for you and I many of these illnesses share the same symptoms, making them difficult to distinguish one from another. In this blog most we will go through methods that provide you with an outline in order to stay safe and healthy this winter. 

The Common Cold 

According to the CDC common colds are a significant reason why children and adults miss out on obligations. In the United States, there are millions of cases of the common cold. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more. Stress and lack of sleep can increase your risk of getting frequent colds. Practicing good hygiene, eating right, sleeping, and reducing stress all help keep colds away. Other steps to avoid catching a cold include;

• Clean frequently used surfaces - Viruses can live on doorknobs and other places people often touch
•  Wash your hands, especially before eating or preparing food. You also want to wash your hands after using the bathroom, wiping your nose or coming in contact with someone who has a cold
• Use hand sanitizers when you don’t have access to soap and water 
• Avoid touching your face - Cold viruses spread from your hands to your eyes, nose and mouth
• Strengthen your immune system so your body is ready to fight off germs. Get enough sleep, eat a healthy diet and exercise

Influenza 

Influenza is a serious disease that can potentially  lead to hospitalization and on rare occasion even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. It's likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both spread this fall and winter. The easiest way to fight against the flu is by getting a flu vaccine. Influenza is the only respiratory virus that is preventable by vaccination. Flu risk reduced up to 60% with the vaccine. Other ways to help prevent against the virus include; 

•  Wear A Mask to prevent possible exposure when out in public places 
•  Eat Healthy and balanced meals to strengthen your immune system
• Exercise boosts your immune system and helps to speed recovery from illness 

Acute Bronchitis or simply Bronchitis is a viral respiratory infection causing the inflammation of the lining of bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the lungs. infection. Commonly appearing in the winter acute bronchitis starts suddenly, usually over a few days. At first, you may have cold or flu symptoms such as runny nose,sore throat, tiredness, chills, sore muscles and a slight fever. These symptoms will usually last 3 to 5 days until you get the dreaded cough. Usually doesn't produce mucus at first but may later produce clear, yellow, green, or sometimes even bloody mucus. This disease may make your chest hurt when you cough or breathe deeply. Often lasts 2 to 3 weeks and sometimes even longer. If you somehow catch this virus the best way to treat it is by; 

• Taking over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• If you have wheezing, your doctor may prescribe an inhaler
• Cough medicines almost never make you feel better, but some can help a little at night if your cough keeps you from sleeping.

No matter the time of year, it’s important to practice good hygiene, such as hand washing, and avoiding contact with other people when you are contagious. If you find yourself sick during the winter months, your immune system will often handle it. However, don’t be afraid to go to a Doctor and seek professional help. We hope this blog helped you learn something new about preventative measures to take to stay safe this upcoming winter.

Contrary to what some people may believe, UV light is in fact not purple. Rather, ultraviolet light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is invisible to the human eye. It is naturally produced by and accounts for 10% of the total radiation output from our Sun. Discovered in 1801 by German physicist, Johann Ritter, the identification of the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum gave humans a new idea of what that spectrum entailed. However, it wasn’t until nearly a century later when Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation or UVGI appeared in the picture as a disinfecting solution. Since then ultraviolet light has been a friend to the disinfection world.

Defined as is the use of ultraviolet (UV) energy to kill or inactivate viral, bacterial, and fungal species, UVGI was discovered by two scientists who figured out that the ability of sunlight to neutralize bacteria was dependent on three main things:

• Intensity, 
• Duration,
• Individual Wavelengths

With this information becoming widely available, scientists began experimenting with different ways to utilize UV light to their benefit. In 1933 an eccentric American scientist by the name of William F. Wells developed a hypothesis elaborating on the concept of airborne infection by droplet nuclei and the use of UVGI to disinfect the air. Following initial success Wells went on to demonstrate that airborne infectious organisms could be efficiently killed in a short period of time, which helped prove the very concept that infections can be spread via the air. With the perceived success of UVGI it began to make its way into hospital rooms across the country. 

UVGI made headway in the medical field with its ability to curb infection rates and safely sanitize hospital operating rooms. UVGI is primarily delivered from three systems: portable, in-duct and upper-room. 

• Upper-room UVGI confines the germicidal radiation to the entire room area above people's heads 
• Portable UVGI units are used in patient, surgical and ICU rooms, and other critical-care settings
• Stationary UVGI disinfection can take the form of either in-duct systems for airstream disinfection or upper-room installations to prevent infection transmission within a room

Today we see UVGI being used all over the world as a weapon against germs and specifically Covid-19. Coronavirus is highly susceptible to germicidal UV irradiation as it is able to inactivate microorganisms by causing DNA damage and preventing replication which can in turn deactivate the virus on surfaces. 

This is what PurLite does. Using UVC light, our PurLite box harnesses that energy in order to eliminate bacteria, fungal and viral particles that linger on the different surfaces within your home. Don’t just clean your home, PurLite it.