How virus killing Novaerus technology is helping Irish businesses get back to work
- Portable dis-infection units kill all airborne viruses, including Covid-19 surrogate
- Dis-infected air can help close ‘hygiene loop’ as companies look to re-open post-lockdown
- Irish-made plasma technology in high demand as production increases 12-fold in 2020
Dublin, 3 June 2020 – As businesses look to recover and re-open in Ireland’s post-lockdown economy, an Irish tech firm is making waves with a range of medical-grade clean air solutions that kill all airborne viruses – including a surrogate for the virus that causes Covid-19.
As authorities focus on limiting the spread of Covid-19, Dublin-based Novaerus has patented a plasma ‘killing’ technology that can quickly dis-infect the air in shops, offices, waiting rooms, factories and any building where people share an indoor space.
The company sells a range of three portable air dis-infection devices that are powered by technology that has been independently proven to kill 99.99% of MS2 Bacteriophage, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19.
For companies seeking to get back to work in the safest, most reassuring way for employees and customers, Novaerus technology can close the hygiene loop by eliminating any viral particles in the air.
“We all know that respiratory droplets caused by coughing, sneezing and wheezing are considered one of the main transmission routes for the virus,” says Michael Corr of Novaerus. “So, things like hand washing, wearing a mask, and of course social distancing will continue.
“Eliminates airborne infection”
“But we also know generally that infection can be transmitted on air currents, where you have dried viral particles swirling around and spreading over long distances,” he says. “Our plasma technology kills those particles, which significantly mitigates the risk of airborne infection and contamination of surfaces and hands.
“For companies that need to get back to work, these devices are really the final piece of the jigsaw in terms of protecting staff and customers,” Mr Corr says. “They are being deployed around the world in the global fight against Covid-19.”
Novaerus technology has been recognized by Chinese health authorities, while hundreds of hospitals worldwide have installed the devices to help reduce transmission of Covid-19. In South Korea, the Irish-manufactured technology can be found in close to 80% of existing ambulances in Seoul.
In addition, Novaerus’s scientific diligence was recently recognized by the Karolinska Institute, one of the world’s leading medical universities in Stockholm, Sweden, where the Nobel Prize in Medicine is issued. Novaerus was honored to be the only air disinfection company – that met the stringent requirements – to participate in a study on the efficacy of air dis-infection against pathogens.
Plug-in, portable devices
As international demand has grown, production of the devices at Novaerus’ Portlaoise manufacturing facility has increased 12-fold since the start of 2020. The product range includes the NV200, NV800 and Defend 1050 models, all of which can be simply plugged in and moved from room to room. The devices use a plasma-based technology to decontaminate the air, with the smaller models using less energy than a 40-watt light bulb.
While the company has primarily focused on the export market up to now, there is increasing Irish demand for Novaerus devices as local businesses look to return to work. One of the first adopters was the McGreal’s Pharmacy group, which operates eleven pharmacies in the Leinster area.
“Installing Novaerus units in all our shops to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 was a no-brainer,” says group owner Kilian McGreal. “However, I firmly believe the benefits go well beyond that. Post Covid-19, our team and our patients will have a much higher expectation of the hygiene measures at their local pharmacy. With the amount of people coming into our pharmacies with colds, flu and chest infections, having a Novaerus unit to eliminate airborne viruses, bacteria and fungi makes perfect sense.
McGreals Pharmacy: closing the hygiene ‘loop’
“This applies to all businesses and anywhere that people, whether they are employees or customers or both, are going to be sharing an indoor space,” Kilian McGreal says. “You have hand-washing, dis-infecting of surfaces and now the third crucial element, air. Novaerus units close that loop and this is something employers need to be looking at.”
Having initially installed the units for staff and customer protection, Kilian McGreal recognized the potential of Novaerus for the wider business community and agreed a deal to become official supplier of the products. McGreal’s Pharmacy supplies to all retail, business, consumer, and health care sectors, while Fannin Ltd, a medical supply company based in Ireland and the UK, supplies directly to hospitals, residential nursing homes and dentists.
For further information on the Novaerus air dis-infection devices contact the McGreal’s Pharmacy Group on Ph. + 353 (0)45 397 202, email: novaerus@mcgreals.ie or visit www.mcgreals.ie/novaerus/ .
