Brief Ultraviolet Irradiation Before Doffing May Prevent Transmission of Infection due to COVID-۱۹

COVID-۱۹ was declared a pandemic by WHO on ۱۱ March ۲۰۲۰. It has affected nearly ۸۰ lakh people worldwide but exact data regarding its infectivity among healthcare workers (HCW) is still missing. Data from the Chinese center of disease control and prevention showed that out of ۴۴۶۷۲ laboratory-confirmed cases, ۱۷۱۶ were healthcare workers (۱). Data from Italy showed that by April ۷, ۲۰۲۰, there were ۱۲۶۸۰ documented cases of COVID-۱۹ among healthcare workers, and approximately ۱۰۰ physicians and ۲۶ nurses have died from Covid-۱۹ (۲).COVID-۱۹ is caused by a novel coronavirus belonging to genera Beta coronavirus, with single-stranded (positive-sense) RNA associated with a nucleoprotein within a capsid comprised of matrix protein (۳).COVID-۱۹ virus is primarily transmitted among people through respiratory droplets and close contact (۴, ۵). To mitigate HCW infection spread, the WHO has recommended infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies. While the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) remains a mainstay of IPC strategies, it needs to be supported by effective administrative and engineering controls, in the absence of which PPE has limited benefits (۶).