The Ministry of Health has issued an extremely important warning that targets all Romanians throughout the country, and this in the conditions where we are talking about something that can turn into a real problem if the advice is not heeded.
The Ministry of Health tells Romanians that UV lamps are not a solution for disinfecting schools, or perhaps even houses, and this is because the rays themselves can have extremely serious negative effects on people's health.
"Are UV lamps a good method for disinfection in schools?
No, UV lamps are not recommended for disinfection in schools or for household use.
UV radiation is carcinogenic (can cause skin cancer) and can produce cataracts, conjunctivitis or other eye reactions, which is why it is contraindicated to be used in rooms where there are people and it is contraindicated to be used for hand disinfection. Also, the ozone produced by UV lamps is harmful to the respiratory tract, being a strong irritant, and can cause asthma attacks in asthmatics. For these reasons, they are not recommended for use by home users, but only by qualified and trained personnel.
As also stated in the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) statement, UV lamps are only recommended for use by qualified personnel and are not an option for classrooms.
UV lamps are essentially special bulbs filled with mercury vapor that, once exposed to an electric current, produce ultraviolet radiation that destroys germs directly, by destroying their DNA and RNA, and indirectly, by producing ozone.
Such lamps are used in hospitals and medical laboratories to sterilize certain rooms or areas, but should not be used as the sole method of disinfection.
Regarding the activity of UV radiation against viruses, several studies have shown that it can destroy influenza viruses, adenoviruses, coronaviruses, etc., both on surfaces and in the air, both by altering their genetic material and by surface proteins, the viruses being thus inactivated."
