Ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection for SARS-CoV-2

The following questions and answers provide a brief introduction of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and its use for environmental disinfection, often called UV germicidal irradiation or UVGI.

UV has been used for disinfection in certain settings (e.g., healthcare environments, correctional facilities) and during the COVID-19 pandemic there has been interest in expanding its use to more settings and situations.

We describe what we know about UV disinfection for SARS-CoV-2, potential uses for surface and air disinfection (e.g., upper room UVGI; in-duct or in-line UVGI), as well as limitations and potential harms.