Inactivation of Human Coronavirus 229E in Aerosols Using Deep Ultraviolet

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been identified as the cause of a worldwide pandemic. Ultraviolet (UV) light is regarded as a very powerful tool against SARS-CoV-2. However, there is little information regarding the effects of UV of inactivating viruses flowing in a flow path box. Herein, we showed that the human coronavirus 229E variant, which is closely related to SARS-CoV-2, in aerosol in the flow path box was efficiently inactivated by UV irradiation. In addition, the inactivating effect of UV was consistent regardless of the size of the flow pass box. This study suggests the effectiveness of a flow pass box equipped with ultraviolet lamps, as a countermeasure to prevent the spread of virus infection via aerosol.