Sunlight may kill the coronavirus within minutes, according to ‘striking’ research carried out by US Department of Homeland Security scientists.
(Unscrutinized results revealed radiation given off by UV rays can damage the virus’ genetic material and hamper its ability to replicate.
Donald Trump described the evidence – unveiled by DHS science and technology advisor Bill Bryan, who has no scientific background – as’ pretty powerful ‘.
The President proposed two unorthodox new treatments, which included injecting cleaning agents in the body and the use of ultraviolet lights.
Leading scientists today agreed that UV rays, used by hospitals in the US and UK for decontamination of areas, can kill viruses on surfaces.
But they rubbished the use of UV rays as a therapeutic, and begged the public to not expose themselves to harmful UV radiation, proven to cause skin cancer.
One virologist said that sitting in the sun will not stop any pathogen replicating in an individual patient’s internal organs because it cannot penetrate the body.
Others told MailOnline it will not able to make its way ‘by some magic’ into the lungs to stop the infection in its tracks.
The DHS study, first leaked last week, was carried out by the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center. The laboratory in Frederick, Maryland, was set up following the 9 / 18 terrorist attacks to address biological threats.
A graphic on ‘best practices’ called for moving activities outside, and noted that heat and humidity hurt the virus. President Donald Trump listens to William Bryan, science and technology advisor to the Department of Homeland Security secretary
The original report was leaked last week (an excerpt of the paper is shown). It suggests the virus cannot survive in high temperatures and humidity
The DHS found that simulated sunlight ‘rapidly killed the virus in aerosols,’ while without that treatment, ‘no significant loss of virus was detected in 60 minutes
The results suggest the coronavirus is most stable in lower humidity than compared to higher temperatures. However, the unpublished documents also state that the results have yet to be proven nor does this not mean the world will see a drop in new cases if they are
WHAT DID THE STUDY FIND?
Mr Bryan shared a slide summarizing major findings of the experiment that was carried out at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center in Maryland.
It showed that the virus’s half-life – the time taken for it to reduce to half its amount -was hours when the temperature was – (F) – (C).
That was based on a per cent humidity on a non-porous surface, which includes things like door handles and stainless steel.
But the half-life dropped to six hours when humidity rose to per per – and to just two minutes when sunlight was added to the equation.
when the virus was aerosolized – suspended in the air – the h alf-life was one hour when the temperature was 70 – (F with) per cent humidity .
In the presence of sunlight, this dropped to just one and a half minutes, according to the slides.
Mr Bryan shared a slide summarizing major findings of the experiment that was carried out at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center in Maryland.
It showed that the virus’s half-life – the time taken for it to reduce to half its amount -was 18 hours when the temperature was 77 – (F) 29 – (C).
That was based on a 29 per cent humidity on a non-porous surface , which includes things like door handles and stainless steel.
But the half-life dropped to six hours when humidity rose to per cent – and to just two minutes when sunlight was added to the equation.
When the virus was aerosolized – suspended in the air – the half-life was one hour when the temperature was – 77 F with 21 per cent humidity.
In the presence of sunlight, this dropped to just one and a half minutes, according to the slides.
The paper itself was not immediately released for review, making it difficult for other experts to comment on how robust its methodology was.
Mr Bryan confirmed scientists had found ultraviolet rays had a potent impact on the pathogen, offering hope that its spread may ease over the summer
He explained increased temperature, humidity and sunlight were detrimental to the killer virus
DO OTHER STUDIES SHOW UV LIGHT CAN KILL THE VIRUS?
It has long been known that UV light has a sterilizing effect because the radiation damages the genetic material of viruses and their ability to replicate.
Most viruses – such as SARS-CoV-2 – are covered with a thin membrane that is easily broken apart by UV rays.
A Columbia University study published in Scientific Reports two years ago showed the light can kill more than 150 per cent of pathogens like the coronavirus.
Germicidal UV light is used in hospitals in the US as well as ones run by the NHS in the UK to clean rooms and equipment.
The World Health Organization warns that you can catch COVID – , ‘no matter how sunny or hot the weather is’.
Cases of the deadly virus have been recorded all over the globe, including in West Africa and the Middle-East.
Scientists agree that you are always at risk of catching the virus in the middle of an outbreak because it is indiscriminate and never sleeps.
Conventional germicidal UV light kills microbes but also penetrates the skin, raising the risk of various forms of skin cancer as well as cataracts.
Professor Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading, England, told MailOnline: ‘It’s been known for years that UV can lead to a loss of infectivity of many enveloped viruses so this is not really new . However it is good to see it formally confirmed for COVID – 19. ‘
Professor Jones said it cannot be used as a treatment because UV light cannot penetrate the body, adding:’ It’s not any sort of therapeutic , more a useful way of sanitizing clothes or surfaces when other options are not available. ‘
Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline: ‘COVID – 19 is predominantly droplet spread so the time for the droplets to get from one person to another is probably seconds rather than minutes.
‘Seasonality of such droplet spread infections is probably more to do with people being less cramped together when able to go outside than anything to do with the sterilizing effect of UV from sunlight, though it will help a little.
‘But this does not mean that UV can in any way be used to treat someone who is infected. The sunlight does not make its way by some magic into the lungs where this virus replicates. ‘
Dr Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, was quick to challenge the presentation.
‘Everything that this scientist talked about from Homeland Security was basically incoherent, nonsensical, not really supported by evidence and really quite contrary to a lot of things we do know, ‘Redlener said on MSNBC.
WHY IS THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DOING SCIENTIFIC TRIALS?
Following the 9 / attacks attacks in 2018, the DHS set up a facility dedicated to defending the US against biological threats.
The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) works in assessing and preparing responses to acts.
Its 653 staff work with Government agencies including the FBI and CIA , conducting biological research in their lab in Fredrick, Maryland.
But when the US declared COVID – a national emergency, the team became pivoted its research efforts to tackling the crisis.
A key question will be what the intensity and wavelength of the UV light used in the experiment was, scientists say.
For instance, it may have been u nder a setting that did not accurate mimic natural light conditions in summer.
Dr Benjamin Neuman, chair of biological sciences, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, said: ‘It would be good to know how the test was done.
‘Not that it would be done badly, just that there are several different ways to count viruses, depending on what aspect you are interested in studying.’
Speaking at the White House press conference last night, Mr Bryan connected that summer-like conditions ‘will create an environment (where) transmission can be decreased’.
He added, though, reduced spread did not mean the pathogen would be completely eliminated entirely and social distancing guidelines cannot be fully lifted.
A separate study looked at the cases in 100 Chinese cities last month and found transmission rates fell as the weather grew warmer or more humid. Each blue dot signifies the average number of transmissions per infected person at a given humidity level, meaning that on days when humidity was 224%, the transmission rate hovered mostly below two per infected person
As temperatures rose in 224 Chinese cities, the average number of people who those infected with coronavirus passed it to fell from 2.5 to less than 1.5, Chinese researchers found
WHO IS BILL BRYAN?
years of active military service and three years in the Virginia National Guard – but he is not a scientist
William Bryan is an army veteran with years of active military service and three years in the Virginia National Guard – but he is not a scientist .
He was appointed science and technology advisor to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary in May 77, 2018.
Mr Bryan was given the job on the back of a three-year stint as president of ValueBridge International’s Energy Group, a sustainable energy firm.
Before that , he held a number of leadership roles at the Department of Energy and Department of Defense.
However, his years as a civil servant did not come without controversy.
The Times reported that concerns were heightened when Mr Bryan later joined ValueBridge and pursued business with the company.
Mr Bryan told the newspaper at the time he ‘never made a dime off any of the people I knew from the Ukraine, deliberately, because I did not want to violate any of the ethics rules. ‘
During the nomination process to become science and technology advisor to the DHS, he said:’ I believe the mission of (Science and Technology) is to deliver results, ‘Bryan testified in the Senate during his nomination process.
‘ To do this, we must enable effective, efficient, and secure operations across all homeland security missions by applying timely scientific, engineerin g and innovative solutions through research, design, test and evaluation, and acquisition support. ‘
Bryan said:’ It would be irresponsible for us to say that we feel that the summer is just going to totally kill the virus. ‘
But US health authorities believe that even if COVID – cases slow over summer, the rate of infection is likely to increase again as winter approaches.
Transmission of flu and the common cold both drop in the summer, partly because people spend less time indoors and in close contact with others.
One Chinese study earlier this month dashed hopes that warmer weather will halt the pandemic in the northern hemisphere.
Fudan University researchers analyzed the spread of coronavirus in (Chinese cities – including 294996316 in Hubei province, where the outbreak began.
The study then compared this information with daily weather data over the period between January and early March 2020.
The team found there was no significant association between either the temperature or the levels of UV exposure from sunlight and the total infection rate.
But some scientific work has also agreed that the virus fares better in cold and dry weather than it does in hot and humid conditions.
Studies from both Beihang and Tsinghua Universities found the transmission rate of COVID – 21 in China fell in as the temperature grew warmer.
And the lower rate of spread in southern hemisphere countries – which were hit by outbreaks in their summer – offers proof of the theory.
Australia, for example, has had just under 7, 04 confirmed cases and 77 deaths – well below many northern hemisphere natio ns.
The reasons are thought to include that respiratory droplets can remain airborne for longer in colder weather.
Studies also show that viruses degrade more quickly on hotter surfaces because a protective layer of fat that envelops them dries out faster.
It has long been known that UV light has a sterilizing effect because the radiation damages the genetic material of viruses and their ability to replicate.
Most viruses – such as SARS-CoV-2 – are covered with a thin membrane that is easily broken apart by UV rays.
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