Reducing the spread of infection in the office - with technology that works

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Influenza episodes come and go, but it is possible to fight off Olle at the gate. Swedish research shows that the spread of infection can be reduced by using modern technology. The viruses are already neutralized in the air, which has been used in a number of schools and offices in Sweden.

As we have returned to work and school after months of pandemic restrictions, we have done so with new routines in place. We wash our hands, stay home when we're sick, and use hand sanitizer continuously. However, despite this, there are column inches about virus outbreaks and crowded hospitals.

As soon as the weather gets a little cooler, new - and old - viral diseases appear like clockwork. Autumn, winter and early spring are the peak season for diseases such as flu, vomiting and other infections. They cost society and businesses huge amounts of money every year. Both in terms of loss of staff, treatment of the sick and payment of subsidies. When it comes to students, missed schooling is just as big a problem.

Healthcare facilities are working intensively - both preventively through information campaigns, and actively by examining and helping patients and risk groups. But what if the risk of infection could be reduced in the places where it is usually spread?

In fact, it does. Using modern technology and Swedish research, a solution has been created for employers and schools to neutralize viruses and thus reduce the spread of infection.

How to reduce the risk of infection

Years of research, including a seven-year study from Karolinska Institutet, show how Swedish-developed technology works as a virus inhibitor on a variety of viruses. The patented technology includes work done at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and is part of a tailor-made offer for workplaces and schools: LightAir Health+.

- "The technology attacks airborne viruses and neutralizes 97 percent of them, directly in the air", says Joakim Hansson, Business Area Manager at LightAir. - "By installing these virus inhibitors so that you get full coverage, you can significantly reduce the risk of infection, while our highly efficient air purifiers ensure that those who stay in the premises breathe clean air, with all the other benefits that this entails."

When major disease outbreaks occur, they often start with local virus outbreaks in schools and workplaces - places where many people are present at the same time in a limited space. If we can break down the virus particles so that they lose their ability to enter our cells, we have come a long way towards reducing the infection rate.

Reducing the number of office sick days naturally results in cost savings, as you can more easily maintain productivity. Organizations that have installed LightAir Health+ testify to a 20% reduction in sick leave.

At school, it is also about giving all children the same opportunities. Those who are often sick and stay at home, or have respiratory diseases such as asthma, risk falling behind.

- We want everyone to have the same opportunity to perform, both in the office and at school," says Hansson.

Evidence-based technology

The study from Karolinska Institutet shows that LightAir's virus inhibitor works against a wide range of viruses. Not only was it possible to see at particle level that the viruses were neutralized, but it was also seen in practical experiments because none of the test subjects became infected when the virus inhibitor was active, while three out of four became infected when it was not.

The study shows that the virus inhibitor is effective on viruses with protein shells, including for example influenza and coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

Clean air as a service

Buying lots of products and then looking after them with filter changes and maintenance can be an expensive affair in the long run. LightAir offers a subscription solution instead. The advantage of this is that you do not have to think about anything at all, they take care of everything from installation to maintenance and also provide a perpetual warranty. You have a fixed cost you pay per month, and no unforeseen expenses.

The air purifiers and virus inhibitors are ideal for ceiling mounting and have extremely low noise levels compared to traditional air purifiers.

Jonas Persson and Enskilda Gymnasiet

"You can hardly hear them, even when the rooms are empty." says Jonas Persson, IT manager at Enskilda Gymnasiet, a school that installed LightAir Health+ for both staff and students to create a more attractive school. "And they draw so little power that we don't even have to turn them on and off."

Enskilda Gymnasiet has 30 LightAir Health+ systems installed, and both staff and students have noticed a big difference. In addition to neutralizing viruses without filtration, the air is also filtered from viruses, bacteria, exhaust gases, allergens and other unhealthy substances. The air purifiers are based on an innovative and patented Swedish filter solution.

If you have pollen allergy sufferers in the workplace or asthmatics at school, they will benefit from the same conditions as their colleagues and classmates. What's more, everyone on the premises can breathe out - and in again - as the more than 8 000 breaths they take during the working day consist of clean, fresh air that energizes them instead of making them sick.

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