This air purifier kills 99.9% of the coronavirus; sees surge in demand from universities, hospitals, and government agencies around the world

As we adjust to the new normal amid the coronavirus pandemic, people all over the world — and especially in the United States, are getting used to wearing masks to slow the spread of the virus. However, people are also looking for other medical devices such as air purifiers to keep them safe from the virus. An air purifier is a device that removes contaminants from the air in a room to improve indoor air quality. The question most people are asking is, do air purifiers work for COVID-19?

The simple answer is: it depends. Currently, there are thousands of air purifiers on the market. However, most of them do not kill coronavirus. In addition, Air purifier manufacturers are not allowed to advertise their devices as health products in the United States for multiple reasons — this mostly because the benefits of air purifiers aren’t straightforward. Instead, air purifier companies claiming the health outcomes, effectiveness, and how their devices filter out a number of harmful substances in the air.

However, there is one exception. Aurabeat is a Hong Kong-company that has created an air purifier that can eliminate over 99.9% of coronavirus. Aurabeat says its air purifier is the world’s first FDA-cleared air purifier certified to eliminate >99.9% of COVID-19 in 30minutes. Since its launch, Aurabeat CEO Phil Yuen said the company has seen a significant surge in global demand since launching the air filtration device.

Using patent-pending AG+ Antiviral Air Filtration Technology, the Aurabeat’s AG+ Silver Ion Plasma Sterilization Air Purifier cleans the air up to 3.4 times in one hour while actively eliminating bacteria and viruses. Yuen says Aurabeat developed the technology late last year. The Aurabeat’s Air Purifier has already been deployed in highly infectious environments such as various COVID-19 sample collection points and quarantine facilities.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in orders and distribution requests coming from universities, hospitals, government agencies all looking to provide the same level of protection we’re able to do here in Hong Kong,” Yuen told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia.”

Founded in 2017 in Hong Kong, Aurabeat is committed to providing trusted air purifying and sanitization solutions for businesses and consumers, helping to eliminate and prevent the spread of COVID-19 as day-to-day indoor activities resume.

According to the information on its website, Aurabeat  said “the experimental tests prove the reliability of the air disinfection, sterilization, and purification technology of Aurabeat AG+, which can eliminate COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) and kill 99.9999% fungi, 99.99% Staphylococcus aureus, and 99.98% E. coli in a short time And >99% airborne bacteria”

The CEO also said MRIGlobal, a U.S. research laboratory, verified the air purifier’s ability to eliminate more than 99.9% of Covid-19 in 30 minutes, though the company acknowledges the machine’s filter falls 0.3% shy of the gold-standard HEPA filters. The FDA has cleared Aurabeat to market the device in the U.S. as a medical-grade air purifier under their modified enforcement policy for Covid-19.

Yuen says the air filtration device can complement indoor coronavirus precautions like mask-wearing and social distancing, or offer additional protection in residential spaces where people are less likely to wear masks. Experts have debated the significance of airborne transmission in coronavirus spread. However, a study published in August found live traces of the virus can be found in aerosols.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that air cleaning alone cannot sufficiently protect individuals from coronavirus exposure. “When used along with other best practices recommended by CDC and others, filtration can be part of a plan to protect people indoors,” the EPA advises.

Below is a video overview of how Aurabeat Air Purifier works.