Veterinary practices are some of the most sterile, hygienic environments to work in. Throughout the design of these settings, great attention is paid to the hospitalisation area, including dog and cat wards, isolation wards, utility and washing areas, and high-dependency intensive care wards. Hygiene and cleanliness regimes are highly detailed in order to enable effective infection control. However, the primary focus is often on the animal patients. Another important consideration for infection control strategies within veterinaries is controlling the transmission of airborne bacteria and viruses, and minimising aerosol and droplet transmission among both staff and clients. Coronavirus, and the manner in which it can spread through airborne transmission, has highlighted the importance of effective air purification technologies within these settings.
How can I ensure effective air filtration?
To understand why air purification is so important to veterinary surgeries and other medical settings, it is important to revisit the basics of airborne infection. Diseases are spread when pathogens leave their hosts via oral and nasal discharge. These pathogens are then transmitted to a new host through indirect contact, for example through contact with a contaminated inanimate object such as a feeding bowl. A carrier may not exhibit problems and appear healthy with no clinical signs, particularly as we now know coronavirus, where symptoms are not always apparent. Airborne transmission occurs by dissemination of either airborne droplet nuclei, from partly evaporated droplets containing pathogenic micro-organisms, or by very small droplets known as aerosols also containing the infectious agent. These aersols cannot be seen and are suspended in the air for long periods of time, dispersed by air currents. They may be inhaled by another host in the room or reach new hosts over a longer distance from the source, depending on the environment. This makes an effective pathogen control strategy highly important.
How can a UV light air purifier reduce the risk of airborne pathogen transmission?
UV light has long been proven as a germicide and has the ability to purify air and thereby reduce the transmission of airborne diseases in a range of environments. An effective UV air purifier works by drawing air into a unit and exposing it to shortwave UV light which is a proven method for killing bacteria and viruses. The clean disinfected air is then re-circulated back into the room, thereby diminishing the risk.
Ultraviolet air purification is highly effective when deployed in areas that have poor ventilation and high room temperatures during winter months, such as veterinary surgeries, medical wards and other clinical settings. When used as part of an overall infection control strategy, a UV germicidal air purifier can eliminate the risk of airborne transmission of a range of viruses, for example coronavirus, influenza, MRSA, tuberculosis, norovirus and more.
How do I deploy an effective UV light air purifier in my veterinary surgery?
Modern solutions such as Medixair have been designed to be plug and play being easy-to-install and integrate into an existing veterinary setting. It is both simple and easy to use and has high efficacy in controlling and reducing airborne virus transmission. Medixair is probably the most powerful portable UV device on the market.Compared to other solutions, UV light actually kills pathogens and does not capture and collect them. It is also unaffected by the genomic variations as currently being experienced with SARS-COV-2. Therefore, an effective UV air purification device could be a lasting and effective solution to controlling airborne virus transmission within your veterinary surgery and ought to be considered as part of any infection control strategy.