Why Air Disinfection Systems Are Becoming an Increasingly Vital Component of Patient Care

By Brent Kramer, Medical Supplies Manager

Medical facilities are incorporating air filtration systems to help safeguard patients and staff from coronavirus transmission.

As healthcare providers continue to navigate the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, creating and maintaining a sanitized environment is paramount. 

Clinicians are reexamining and reformatting every stage of patient care for maximum infection control. From the operating room, to the waiting room, exam suite and staff areas, medical staff is making sure their practices adhere to standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies.

The CDC recommends social distancing, virus testing, and surface sanitation protocols that are proven to control the risks of infection. While these methods are certainly effective in the fight against the coronavirus, more and more facilities are using active air disinfection filtration systems in addition to other proven safety measures to provide staff and patients with an extra layer of infection control.

As we are all familiar, COVID-19 is primarily spread as an aerosol that can stay in the air for hours and travel up to 160 feet. Treating the air in medical facilities is a vital component in stopping the spread of viruses and bacteria. 

While many air purification products on the market today help to reduce virus transmission, some are more effective than others. For example, Novaerus products from WellAir Solutions provide continuous air purification reducing both viral and bacterial loads in the surrounding air.

Novaerus air disinfection systems use patented plasma technology that is proven to destroy airborne viruses. Any virus or particle that passes over the patented plasma coil barrier will be killed immediately at the DNA level. The technology’s effectiveness has been shown in independent laboratory trials around the globe, including at the NASA Ames Research laboratory.

In addition to a variety of bacterial and viral agents, this technology has also been tested to reduce MS2 Bacteriophage, a commonly used surrogate for SARS-CoV* (Coronavirus) by 99.99%.

The systems offer this high level of infection control without releasing any harmful chemicals into the air. Unlike other airborne infection control methods including photocatalytic oxidation and sanitation misting, the Novaerus system is safe to run 24/7 while still offering a 99.99% Log 4 reduction rate.

Each model is sleek and compact with a minimal footprint, offering air purification without disrupting the floor plan of the surgery suite. For example, the Protect 900 model weighs only 10.4 pounds but can filter up air up to 1,200 square feet.

With their reusable filters, the systems also provide low ownership and maintenance costs. Clinicians must simply replace the reusable filter as needed, and the device will keep working as intended. 

Novaerus technology is currently available in three different units, allowing facilities to select the right configuration for their unique needs. All units can be easily positioned and plugged in where they are needed most including surgical suites, waiting rooms, patient areas, staff areas, and hallways. 

• Protect 900: medium-sized spaces
• Defend 1050: larger, high-risk spaces
• Protect 200: small spaces

As clinicians ready their facilities and resume non-urgent patient care, an increasing number of them are implementing air disinfection technology to help safeguard patients and staff from the coronavirus. Novaerus systems from WellAir Solutions are available from Avante Health Solutions, your one source to maximize capital equipment performance. For more information, visit avantehs.com/air.