It’s 2021, but COVID-19 is still very much out there. That means we are still very much in the business of ensuring social distance and safety precautions to contain the virus spread. But despite all these, a few facilities and companies are safely opening up by adopting various forms of sanitization solutions.
Let’s have a quick story!
The virus is not 100% gone, yet a few restaurants began to open safely. So, I decided to have an outing. Ordinarily, I wanted and looked forward to a typical dining experience - just as we used to do before COVID. Fast forward to the D-day, the restaurant decor and ambiance was stunning. As we walked in, they took our temperature at the door, and the staff followed all the necessary safety protocols. For extra caution, they also gave us hand sanitizers at the entrance. There were also smaller sanitizer containers on the tables. There was plenty of room between tables, and other necessary precautions were in place throughout our stay.
However, with all of these, I was still uncomfortable. This is because we were wearing our masks while dining. Families, children, and friend groups laughed and enjoyed themselves, but I felt those safety precautions are not enough for a room filled with many people. This virus is airborne – it could be anywhere in here. I was paranoid the whole evening.
We are now in March, and I have seen many restaurants introducing safety measures above and beyond what we expected. They have leveraged technology to install UV purifying fixtures that keep customers and employees safe at all times. Such restaurants have improved their efficiency while guaranteeing the safety of everyone.
Nowadays, sanitization precautions aren’t enough, so we need to adopt technology like upper air room disinfection, considering how effective the virus can be when it gets into the air.
How does UV lighting sustain continuous disinfection in a crowded room?
Germicidal UV lighting is implemented across the upper room air, where warmer air rises to bring in bio-contamination from respiration and other sources (pathogens). The DNA and RNA of a virus become inactivated when exposed to a germicidal ultraviolet UVC, at a wavelength of 254 nm. And when a pathogen is inactivated, it loses its ability to replicate, contributing to the gradual removal of colonies and a significant reduction in disease transmission.
At a 2 µW/cm2irradiance, a single AIR 1 extends an unrivaled coverage area of up to 750 sq. ft. The region covered by germicidal UV radiation is directly proportional to the degree of pathogen inactivation. According to the most credible health organizations, UV protection standards are met when mounted at 7 feet or higher. Clean Air, for instance, meets all these qualities; as the germicidal UV radiation spreads wider, the disinfection intensity decreases.
Which restaurants currently use this form of disinfection?
Everyone wants to return to their everyday lives before the pandemic. We just can’t wait! Restaurants are the closest we can get to the feeling like times are getting better. Germicidal UV has been proven to effectively inactivate airborne microbes that spread diseases like measles, tuberculosis, and SARS-CoV-1 - a close relative of the new Coronavirus.
It is common knowledge that this deadly virus spread easily via tiny floating particles known as aerosols. Some researchers and physicians believed repurposing technology could help disinfect high-risk indoor environments. Fortunately, it did in the restaurants listed below:
1. Marlaina’s Mediterranean Kitchen
UV lighting has become part of the solution for many restaurants, including Marlaina’s Mediterranean Kitchen in the south of downtown Seattle. At that beautiful restaurant, you can see the soft glow of blue light above the drop ceilings, black grates, and a sign proudly declaring to diners, “Coronavirus Disinfected Here!”
The setup includes installing UV fixtures high up, near the ceiling and tilted away from humans. Ceiling fans circulate the restaurant’s air, gradually moving suspended particles through the ceiling into the region where UV lights are placed. According to studies, when exposed to the same strength of UV as this restaurant’s ceiling, approximately 90% of airborne particles are inactivated in around 16 seconds.
Mr. Musa Firat, Marlaina’s owner, says, “It’s modern and clean, and the response is great, absolutely great [1]. Upper-Air room disinfection with UV is the answer we’ve been waiting for.”
2. Bluestone Lane Coffee Shop
If you miss working in a coffee shop while sipping a hot cup of coffee or just want a change of scenery, then you’ll be happy to hear that the Australian-inspired coffee concept Bluestone Lane in New York City is back in business. The coffee shop is
going above and beyond to protect its customers from COVID-19 by adopting sanitization products such as UVA, UVC, and Far-UVC 222 light to sanitize interiors continuously.
But that’s not all. In line with Bluestone Lane’s commitment to keeping both employees and customers safe, they’ve implemented the same safety protocols at their other two locations in Greenwich Avenue and Kenmare Street.
They also plan to implement this advanced system in their 51 locations soon [2].
3. Ittoryu Gozu Japanese Cuisine
Fine dining is one of the many things we miss since this unusual situation began. However, if you share a passion for Japanese Cuisine, hearing that Ittoryu Gozu in San Francisco has already started to use UV irradiation would be great news. This is necessary to keep customers healthy while maintaining their versatility and open-fire cooking for their kappa-style tasty meals.
According to Marc Zimmerman, the Executive Chef and Owner, “with UV Guardian, [he’s] looking forward to GOZU continuing to employ [their] staff as it did via the A-Five Pop-Up Butcher Shop while [they] return to the reopening of the restaurant business as this industry has been the hardest hit during COVID-19.”
UV-C is progressively becoming a popular approach to fight pathogens invisible to the naked eye [3].
4. Manco & Manco Pizza
Only a few things are better than a tasty slice of warm, cheesy pizza. The famous Jersey Shore pizza joint in Ocean City, New Jersey, joined other restaurants to implement the blue light power. They adopted a UV-lighting system to disinfect high-touch areas and safe cleaning protocols to keep everyone safe. After all, “the safety of our staff and our loyal customers is paramount. [4]”
5. The Brewster Inn
This fantastic restaurant was one of the first facilities to install UV lighting in its indoor dining rooms. The owner, Stephen Franks, and his partners Kirk Gibson, Jason Wright, and Caitlin Gambee mentioned how it was important to look ahead and find ways to ensure restaurants survive the pandemic’s challenges.
We can use UV lights in public spaces if the rays are guided into the air’s top two feet. People continue to move about, and HVAC systems circulate the air, allowing for continuous cleaning. As Gibson wisely said, “The industry is changing each day, and we as a team felt that we need to keep adapting and evolving.” [5] Learn more about the Brewster Inn and UVC lighting.
What are the requirements to have your own UV-C fixture in your business?
UV lighting has found useful applications in different industries, playing a crucial role in ensuring a safe and sanitized environment. Clean’s AIR 1 UV fixture is the safest, most efficient, and aesthetically pleasing you can find in the market. It continuously and safely purifies upper room air in occupied spaces.
The ideal UV fixture for indoor sanitization must meet the following conditions to sanitize your indoor business safely:
It’s incredible to see a light of hope shine through in a year full of chaos and uncertainty, all thanks to cutting-edge technology like UV lighting. This year has shown how efficient UV lighting can be as a tool for inhibiting microorganisms - viruses, bacteria, and mold spores in the air. Its extensive use in multiple industries further cemented its extraordinary disinfectant properties.
There is an inhibition of the microorganisms’ genetic material when exposed to germicidal ultraviolet light, either in the air or on surfaces. It does not end there; this purification process is applicable in different businesses because it is cost-effective, safe, easy, and simple to use.
We are one step closer to feeling safe again, thanks to the UV lighting solution. One solution, endless applications!
Learn more at www.clean-uvsolutions.com
info@clean-uvsolutions.com
Media Contact:
Sofia Castro
sofiac@clumen.com
[1] Coronavirus sparks new interest in using ultraviolet light to Disinfect indoor air. (2020, July 13). Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.wxxinews.org/post/coronavirus-sparks-new-interest-using-ultraviolet-light-disinfect-indoor-air [2] NYC coffee CHAIN installing UVC Sanitizing technology. (2020, October 01). Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.fastcasual.com/news/nyc-coffee-chain-installing-uvc-sanitizing-technology/ [3] Meats, I. (2020, July 16). Ittoryu gozu to LAUNCH "GOZU-CHAN" outdoor dining and employ state-of-the-art Uv Irradiation SANITIZING system UPON reopening of Indoor Dining. Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ittoryu-gozu-to-launch-gozu-chan-outdoor-dining-and-employ-state-of-the-art-uv-irradiation-sanitizing-system-upon-reopening-of-indoor-dining-301094721.html [4] Lattanzio, V. (2020, July 15). Manco & Manco Pizza Shuts Down Ocean City Shops After Staff Test Positive for COVID-19. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/coronavirus/manco-manco-pizza-shuts-down-ocean-city-shops-after-3-employees-test-positive-for-covid-19/2466822/ [5] The Brewster Inn. (2020, October 18). UV-Lighting installed at The Brewster Inn. Retrieved February 12, 2021, from https://www.thebrewsterinn.com/post/uv-lighting-installed-at-the-brewster-inn