The Department of Health (DoH) on Thursday warned against the use of devices with ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), saying it can have adverse effects on people.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that according to the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), the use of UV light is only applicable in healthcare settings.

Vergeire  said that UV light’s effectiveness will still depend on a number factors such as the length of exposure and dosage of the UV light.

“It means these are only used inside hospitals, clinics, and other health care settings,” she said in Filipino. “Many factors can affect its effectiveness like the dose of UV from the device, and if all the surfaces of an equipment is under the UV disinfection.”

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the reproduction of bacteria and viruses are affected usually by UV wavelengths ranging from 100 to 400 nanoparticles (nm).

But the CDC said that wavelengths at 240-280 nm are already at its maximum bacterial effects.

“UV radiation [provides] rapid inactivation of the microorganisms, thus when bacteria, viruses and the like are exposed to these wavelengths, they become incapable of reproducing, multiplying, and infecting,” they said.

However, Vergeire reminded that the use of UV light should not be treated as a substitute for the use of disinfectants.

“As of now there is still no evidence whether it is effective, and following the recommendation of WHO, it should not be a replacement on the manual cleaning of contaminants on environmental surfaces,” she said.

CDC said that among the dangerous effects of UV light include possible eye injuries, skin irritation, burns, and increased risk of skin cancer. (Daily Tribune)