Company News

12.2.2014

BOSTON, MA,

CHICAGO, IL

MARKETWIRED

UV Light Air Purification A Powerful New Tool in Flu Prevention Arsenal

Vaccination, Hygiene, Air Purification, Avoidance Equally Important

This flu season, as in the past, millions of Americans will become infected with the flu, resulting in more than 200,000 hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. “Powerful new germicidal tools coupled with typical infection practices can minimize flu exposure to help prevent infection, but the level of success in stopping epidemics is tied directly to the level of everyone’s participation,” stated Dr. Wladyslaw Kowalski, PhD, PE, one of the foremost experts and authors on airborne infection control, UV germicidal irradiation systems for hospital infection control, and consultant to UV Flu Technologies (OTCBB: UVFT).

People spread the flu viruses by coughing, sneezing, or talking, which creates tiny droplets that carry the flu viruses, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These droplets can land in the mouths, noses or eyes of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also get flu by touching an object that has flu virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.

“You want to reduce your exposure to the flu virus as much as possible to help prevent infecting yourself or your family since it can infect anyone,” emphasized Bryan Stone, MD, Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Chief of Medicine for Desert Regional Medical Center, and expert consultant for medical application and technology development, including tech development for UV Flu Technologies, which manufactures RxAir® Air Purification Systems.

By employing these four flu prevention tools, you can minimize your own and your family’s exposure to the flu virus:

1. vaccination
2. air purification
3. following careful hygiene and sanitation protocols, and
4. avoiding contact with obviously infected individuals

Vaccination

It is important for you, and everyone around you, to get the vaccination each year to decrease the total exposure to flu viruses. The fewer people infected, the fewer viruses that are produced, thus minimizing everyone’s exposure to the virus.

“It is impossible to produce a flu vaccine that will protect recipients against all strains because there are hundreds of strains that constantly mutate,” Dr. Stone noted. “However, the vaccine protects against the most common ones, significantly reducing the number of people infected and viruses produced.”

UV Air Purification

Relatively new, powerful ultraviolet (UV-C) light air purification technologies are important flu prevention tools because they destroy all flu virus strains in the air, including those not in the current vaccines. A UV air purifier reduces exposure for everyone in the room, whether they’ve been vaccinated or not. The RxAir Air Purifier’s patented kill chamber and industrial-strength, high-intensity UV-C lights have been proven in independent EPA- and FDA-certified laboratory testing to destroy on first pass more than 99% of flu and other harmful viruses and bacteria that cause the cold, MRSA (staph), strep (whooping cough), TB, measles, pneumonia and a myriad of other antibiotic-resistant and viral infections.

“To be effective, an air purifier should exchange room air at least a couple times per hour, yet maintain that prolonged UV ray exposure necessary to destroy the pathogens,” explained Dr. Kowalski. “It is important to choose an air purifier that is proven by independent EPA- and FDA-certified laboratories to destroy viruses and bacteria, as there are many ineffective, low-cost systems that lack sufficient UV light intensity, UV exposure time or air flow rates. Alternatively, air purifiers with high-efficiency HEPA filters effectively trap, but do not kill, the pathogens. However, when filters become full, the live pathogens may be re-circulated in the air, plus the consumer likely will be exposed to them when the filters are changed.”

Hygiene and Sanitation

Hands should be washed thoroughly and frequently, front and back, with ordinary soap (antibacterial soap offers very limited advantage), then dried, and then a disinfectant (i.e. alcohol-based) can be used to provide longer-term protection. People should avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. Frequently touched objects and surfaces that viruses fall onto should be sanitized with disinfectant regularly to minimize transferring viruses when touched.

“When a flu-infected person, even in the asymptomatic incubation stage, enters a room and talks, sneezes or coughs, they contaminate the space. Other people in the room are exposed to infection by the simple act of breathing, regardless of any sanitization that already occurred,” Dr. Kowalski remarked. “Pathogen-destroying UV air purifiers are the best way to combat the airborne pathogens on a continuous basis.”

Avoiding Contact with Infected Individuals

When someone is visibly ill, coughing or sneezing, stay at least 6 feet away; better yet, exit the room to avoid inhaling flu viruses they expel into the air. People who have the flu or are closely tending to those with flu symptoms should stay home from school or work so they don’t infect others. If you encounter someone who has been around a sick person try to: keep your distance; disinfect any surfaces they may have touched; and use an air purifier in the room to diminish your viral exposure.

“Your viral exposure will never be zero if you go where other people congregate; however, by taking these four steps to minimize viral exposure, you’re giving your body’s immune system, and those people around you, a fighting chance to avoid getting ill,” stated Dr. Stone.

RxAir® Air Purification Systems, employing powerful UV kill chamber technology originally designed for hospital use, are now available to consumers in an attractive, affordable unit ideal for homes, schools, offices and businesses, restaurants, salons, etc. RxAir is available via RxAir.com, Amazon.com, Rakuten.com, and SleepRestFully.com

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