COVID-19 news, diagnostics & instrumentation
19 Issue 1 2021
Far UVC – shedding new light on beating airborne diseases A
range of UVC products researched and developed by physicists at several top universities around the world, including Columbia University, has landed in South Africa. Ultra-violet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) technology has been known for decades to be an effective means of disinfection, as the ultraviolet (UV-C) light kills or inactivates airborne microorganisms by damaging or destroying their DNA. However, this method of decontamination is unsafe for use in occupied spaces because it has carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and caterogenic (cataract-causing) effects in humans.
That’s because it is generally applied at a wavelength of 254nm (nanometres), which has the capacity to penetrate human skin and eyes. Into the light The difference between far-UVC and traditional UVGI disinfectant solution is that far-UVC sanitation products emit at a wavelength that, while still effective against airborne pathogens, do not have the capacity to penetrate the outer layer of human skin or eyes (known as the tear layer).
Older UVGI systems transmit at 254nm, far-UVC transmits at 222nm, which offers a number of benefits: • It can be used in occupied spaces without causing harm to humans or animals • It can be used continually, it is always working to kill or deactivate any airborne bugs • It works on both airborne particles and those on various surfaces, significantly lowering exposure not only from proximity to other people but also the objects and surfaces they touch
• • •
It can be widely applied to safeguard populated spaces It is immediately available and a highly cost-effective solution It has been widely proven through numerous studies to be highly effective not only against the SARSCoV- 2 virus, which causes COVID-19, but against all known coronavirus strains as well as many other viruses and bugs.
FAR UVC AFRICA Tel: 082 578 3755 conrad@faruvafrica.com www.faruvafrica.com
COVID-19 vaccine: how will Africa keep it cold enough? W
hile we await the first vaccines to either arrive in the country via air, or under licence from local manufactured sources, there remains another obstacle. The so-called cold supply chain that needs to remain intact when delivering the COVID-19 vaccine to all corners of the country. The temperatures needed for preservation of the vaccine vary, and in some cases need to go well below zero degrees Celsius. If it is not so, the vaccine will break down and become unusable by the time it reaches the patient’s arm. This distribution might be easier for countries like Europe or USA, but may be a mammoth logistical challenge for Africa. Shipping and cold storage challenges South Africa has recorded more than 1.3 million coronavirus infections, the highest number on the African continent, and more than 37 000 deaths (at the time of going to print). To reach the population, vaccine delivery will need to travel from manufacturing facilities both local and international, then transported to storage and distribution, and then on to health facilities countrywide. Amongst all, AstraZeneca is the most suited one for the countries in the subcontinent as it requires average fridge temperatures of 2°C to 8°C. According to reports thus far, 20 million Astra Zeneca vaccines have been secured by government for roll out in the first half of this year for South Africa. The Pfizer/ BioNTech vaccine, from its point of manufacture to the arm of the patient, cannot be removed from a temperature of -70°C more than four times. Moderna, the third vaccine currently available, can be stored for six months at -20°C for shipping and long-term storage, and at standard refrigeration temperatures of 2°C to 8°C for 30 days.
In addition, local vaccine research is also underway with the aim of developing a vaccine for the COVID-19 “South African” strain that has five new mutations from the “Wuhan” parent strain. This is seen as a necessity as it is still being ascertained how effective the imported vaccine will be towards the current strain spreading in South Africa. Temperature sensitive solutions for cold storage Labotec has been at the forefront of delivering time and temperature sensitive solutions for many years. Their specialists have already explored the best options for the COVID-19 vaccine and there is a comprehensive strategy available for this. This includes equipment from the Forma Thermo Scientific range of highperformance freezers and fridges built for pharmaceutical applications and ideal for vaccine storage, Elcold freezers from Norway, and Thermo Scientific and Ebro data loggers for monitoring the temperature in-transit or between warehouses. Thermo Scientific QC managed cold storage Thermo Scientific cold storage products are designed and built to support the temperature requirements of pharmaceuticals and vaccine manufacturing, distribution, and storage worldwide with products designed to deliver safe and reliable vaccine storage while supporting accreditation and quality management standards. This range includes TSX Series high-performance under-counter lab refrigerators with a temperature range 2 - 8°C. For clinical and vaccine storage requiring -20 to -40°C, Thermo Scientific TSX Series highperformance auto defrost freezers are designed with features that support sample protection and sustainability objectives. The Thermo Scientific Forma FDE Series
Ultra-low Freezers -80°C are powered by H-drive and feature four upright models, maximising storage capacity from 30 000 up to 60 000 2mL vials. Elcold freezers meet the vaccine challenges Elcold’s VAC freezer covers the Moderna and Pfizer Covid vaccines storage requirements and can operate all the way from -20°C to -70°C. Their important features are; high capacity & small footprint, quality for price where you will get a top-quality freezer, based on complex technology that is tried and tested with similar products in the market for 15 years. Ebro & Thermo Scientific PDF data loggers for safe transport and storage An accurate temperature history and continuous monitoring of temperatures is
critical to protecting the vaccines, and dependable data loggers are less expensive than replacing wasted vaccines. The Ebro & Thermo Scientific range, featuring easy-to-use data loggers with USB plugs, are the safe and optimal solution for the monitoring of vaccines and remedies during transport and storage. Given the cold storage solutions, the collective challenge of safe vaccine delivery to all nine provinces will still need a carefully orchestrated cold chain management strategy to ensure safe delivery of intact vaccines from wherever the eventual source. LABOTEC (PTY) LTD JHB: (011) 315 5434 CPT: (021) 531 7660 DBN: (031) 566 4870 Fax: (011) 315 5882 sales@labotec.co.za www.labotec.co.za
