Quantification of a Viromed Klinik Akut V 500 disinfection device to reduce the indirect risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by aerosol particles

Indoor SARS-CoV-2 infections by droplets and aerosols are currently considered to be particularly significant. FFP2/3 respirator masks, which fit tightly and gap free, generally provide very good protection. In public transport, while shopping or in waiting rooms, they are therefore ideally suited to protect against direct and indirect infection. Unfortunately, these masks make it difficult to breathe and can be uncomfortable to wear in the long run. Therefore, these masks should be worn for a maximum of 3 × 75 minutes per day. These masks are therefore hardly suitable for schools or at work. The question therefore arises as to how people in closed rooms can be permanently protected from a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Large safety distances provide both self protection and protection of third parties, but they do not protect against indirect infection if the virus load in the room is high. Mouth and nose covers only offer protection of others against direct infection, but they do not protect the user against indirect infection. The same applies to faceshields and small protective walls. Indirect infections can be effectively prevented by free ventilation with windows or air conditioning systems that supply 100% outside air into the room, provided the air exchange rate is at minimum six times the room volume per hour. However, free ventilation by means of windows is rarely efficient enough, and in winter at the latest, it is no longer possible to open windows without wasting massive amounts of energy and endangering the health and well-being of people. The operation of air conditioning systems is also very energy-intensive during the cold season. Furthermore, most buildings do not have air conditioning systems. The question is therefore, how a largely safe protection against an indirect SARS-CoV-2 infection can be realized in closed rooms without wasting thermal energy and thus valuable resources. Technically, the problem can be solved with mobile disinfection devices or room air cleaners that separate the dangerous aerosol particles or inactivate the viruses by UV radiation or by contact with charge carriers. The potential of these devices is great and, since many German manufacturers produce these devices, they are also available. However, many of the devices offered do not provide effective protection because the volume flow is too small, the separation efficiency of the filters is too low and the performance of the UV and ionization unit is too weak. The Viromed Klinik Akut V 500 disinfection unit appears to meet the performance requirements and therefore the device is analyzed and evaluated in this study for its suitability to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection.