Swiss Startup Begins UV Light Trials to Make Air Travel Safer and Sanitary
By Space Coast Daily // April 29, 2021
Uveya, a new Swiss startup has come up with a novel cleaning technology for airlines. The new technology is meant to help protect airline passengers from getting infected with the COVID-19 virus.
This new device comes as many countries are still fretting over worsening Covid-19 outbreaks, as vaccination efforts have stalled in many parts of the world.
Switzerland has struggled to accelerate vaccinations even as a third of the country has been infected with the virus. Swiss airlines will likely be thrilled to have a new approach to sanitation to crush the curve as the country tries to expand its vaccination campaign.
The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened are concerns about sanitation and health. Companies all over the world have been forced to implement stricter cleanliness standards in response to the growing pandemic. Some companies have even started to use gas pressure washer cleaning to remove the virus from outdoor surfaces.
The global airline industry is no exception. Even though recent research cited by the CDC shows that contact exposure is very unlikely to cause COVID-19 infections, people have still become highly concerned about sanitation while flying. People frequently get ill while traveling, so airlines have to find better ways to prevent these illnesses.
New technology from Uveya will help enhance cleanliness well after and the pandemic ends
Back in October, America Airlines published a press release on the company’s new approach to the pandemic response. They unveiled their new Clean Commitment approach.
American Airlines stated that it would be implementing a multi-faceted approach to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This included a variety of new measures, including a mask mandate and better sanitation processes.
The validity of some of the new policies came into question after the CDC reported that very few COVID-19 infections worth are a result of touching contaminated surfaces. The new research shows that people only have about a one in 10,000 chance of contracting COVID-19 after touching a surface where the virus is present.
However, the new sanitation policies are still highly beneficial. Even if the Covid-19 virus mostly spreads through airborne transmission, other illnesses are still frequently spread through contact with infected surfaces.
The new technology that has been developed by Uveya is going to be tremendously helpful with fighting many different types of infections. It relies on similar technology that has been used in hospitals for the last half century.
The startup first tested the new technology back in March. They discovered that their device is able to kill off over 99% of harmful pathogens in bacteria. It relies on light and cleaning robots.
It is also useful for helping mitigate the spread of COVID-19. While most airline cleaning processes have focused on sanitizing surfaces, this new device can clean both surfaces and the air. It can literally destroy COVID-19 pathogens while they are still airborne.
This is going to significantly reduce the spread of the virus. It is encouraging news, because the pandemic is likely to persist in a number of countries for the for seeable future. Even in the United States and the United Kingdom, where vaccination levels have remained elevated, the spread of COVID-19 is still a threat.
Key executives from Uveya have lauded the development that their team has put forward. They believe that it will be a gamechanger in the fight against Covid-19 and other outbreaks.
Tristan Chevignard the business development manager for Uveya said the company is very proud of these accomplishments. He told reporters:
“We are thrilled to explore the aviation market for our UVC disinfection solution with such renowned partners. We believe this collaboration will help assure aircraft are clean, safe and up to the high-level standards of this industry.”
Airline companies and airline servicing providers have also said that they are encouraged by the new technology. Lukas Gyger the chief operating officer (COO) for dnata Switzerland is among those that spoke highly of the new device. He told reporters:
“Our enhanced cabin cleaning services will deliver enhanced safety and efficiency, helping our customers restore confidence in air travel.”
Airlines will be grateful to have technology from companies like Uveya to help fight these infections. This new device should be available soon.
