4 Israeli inventions that purify the air of Covid-19

Remember when pollution was our worst respiratory worry? Now, scientists say airborne virus particles may be the main cause of Covid-19 infections. In the face of new evidence, the World Health Organization has changed its tune about the virus not being transmitted through air.

“WHO, together with the scientific community, has been actively discussing and evaluating whether SARS-CoV-2 may also spread through aerosols … particularly in indoor settings with poor ventilation,” the agency announced July 9. Simply improving ventilation isn’t always possible or adequate. And although a new American study found that covering the nose and mouth can decrease risk of SARS CoV-2 infection by 65 percent, many people resist wearing facemasks. The ultimate answer could be one or more of these Israeli high-tech solutions to cleanse indoor air from dangerous pathogens. ProtectAir This device sterilizes indoor air by slowly releasing chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) in tiny amounts– far below the approved level of ClO₂indrinking water. AuraAir Israeli startup Aura Air has completed two phases of a pilot at Sheba Medical Center to check the efficacy of its air filtration and disinfection system. Ultraviolet-C light Ultraviolet C (UVC) light, a known disinfectant, could be a “particularly efficient, easily deployable, and economically affordable” way to inactivate the coronavirus in indoor air, says a team of international scientists including Prof. Ido Kaminer of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Sterilizing air filters A new type of air-filter that self-sterilizes and decontaminates is being developed at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Israel based on water filtration technologies. -- More...