UV-C Light Can Keep You Safe From COVID-19: Using UV light to kill coronavirus: The benefits and risks

Using UV light to kill coronavirus: The benefits and risks

UV light sanitizers are popping up as the answer to killing coronavirus on our hands and phones, but consumer devices may have more risks than they're worth.

UV-C technology is nothing new -- it's been used before in consumer devices such as the PhoneSoap, pictured -- but safety concerns are on the rise as companies claim their UV-C light devices kill the coronavirus.

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO website.

With man-made hand sanitizer in short supply, many people are turning to what's been called "nature's hand sanitizer," or ultraviolet light. UV light is the latest popular tool in the ongoing race to find ways to prevent oneself from catching SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.


Disinfection by way of UV light is nothing new: The International Ultraviolet Association says it's been a useful technology for over 40 years, contributing to clean water and clean air. Many consumer devices also use UV light to disinfect things, such as self-cleaning UV light water bottles and UV-emitting cases that clean your dirty phone. 


When it comes to the coronavirus, though, things aren't so clear-cut. There are risks that come with using UV light devices, especially when using them on your skin. Before ordering the first UV light sanitizer you see, read up on the current evidence about UV light disinfectants and the potential risks of using them on yourself. 


How do UV light hand sanitizers work? 

A quick primer on UV light: UV light comes primarily from the sun, but there are also man-made sources of UV light, including tanning beds and the currently buzzed-about UV disinfection lamps.

There are three classes of UV light: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

UV-A and UV-B light cause sunburns and premature skin aging, and exposure to both is associated with the development of skin cancer. UV-C light, which has the most energy of all three types, is the most harmful, but it fortunately doesn't reach the Earth's surface because our atmosphere absorbs it.

There's man-made UV-C light, too: It's what's in the UV light sanitizers that companies claim kill the coronavirus. According to the National Academy of Sciences, it's probable that this is true, because UV light has been used to disinfect surfaces and water for a long time, and it's generally successful.

It works because UV-C light is strong enough to destroy the genetic material -- either DNA or RNA -- of viruses and bacteria. There's no evidence right now that typical sun exposure can kill the coronavirus, so no, going outside on a sunny day won't reduce your risk of catching it.