To clear the country from coronavirus, which has damaged the world, Chinese companies are implementing ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect public vehicles and elevators. Yanggao, Shanghai’s public transport company has converted an ordinary room into a UV light cleaning area for public vehicles; it also lowered down the process from 40 minutes to five. The marketing supervision bureau in southern Guangdong province suggests “a smart UV elevator purification system”, which it says removes the virus residue. UV tubes are installed in the elevators and switched on when the system knows that no one is inside, brushing off the place with infiltrating UV rays and mechanically switching off when it’s complete.

However, the World Health Organization said that UV lamps should not be used to clean the hands or other parts of the body, as UV light can bring about skin discomfort. Health professionals said that UV lamps are not usually used to clean public spaces, but it could be effective when the process is performed well. Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said UV disinfection is effective but needs to be used with care as the light can cause skin cancer. He also added, “UV disinfection is widely used in hospitals worldwide and for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, tuberculosis and other infectious agents.”