#Israeli company outfits buses with COVID-fighting air system

An Israeli startup whose technology purifies air tainted by the coronavirus has outfitted 400 tourist buses with its system to carry frontline workers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, according to a report.

A study conducted at Sheba Medical Center — Israel’s largest hospital, which uses the system — determined that it has the ability to destroy various viruses, including the coronavirus, at a rate of 99.9 percent, according to The Media Line. 

The system by Aura Air, which is headquartered in Tel Aviv, destroys the coronavirus and informs passengers on the state of seven air quality indexes in their vehicle.

It uses two patented methods, a Sterionizer and a copper laced high-efficiency particulate air filter, as well as ultraviolet C light, The Media Line reported.

The Sterionizer is an improved ionizer, which works by distributing positive and negative ions into the air to starts a process that destroys the sickness-causing protein constructions of the viruses.

Older ionizers can cause serious health problems such as lung damage.

Copper HEPA filters trap and kill viruses, whereas traditional HEPA filters only capture them, and UVC light purifies air and water, among other things, according to the report.

Passengers can use an app to view air quality indexes for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, humidity, temperature and particulate matter.

Paul Kasler, CEO of Aura Air UK Ltd, the British distributor of Aura Air, told The Media Line that the latter two measures are the most important for COVID-19 monitoring.

“These are the particles that are emitted when you breathe, cough, sneeze, talk, which are known to carry the virus and float in the air for 15 to 30 minutes,” he said, explaining that PM2.5 particles are between 1.5 microns and 2.5 microns in size, and PM10 particles are 2.5 to 10 microns in size.

A micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter.

“We give operators a sticker to put on the coach and on the corner of the picture is the QR [Quick Response] code. Passengers scan that QR code in and then they can download the app and sit on the coach and look at the readings,” Kasler said. “It will show you if you’ve gone above a threshold level.”

Roei Friedberg, CEO of Aura Air North America, told the outlet: ““The passengers are the first target audience that can use the data and see it. Besides them, the data can also be screened to the coach operators, the managers of the buses or trains.”

In December, Aura Air was installed in Madrid’s Palace of Zarzuela, where the king of Spain welcomes foreign guests and holds government meetings, the Jerusalem Post reported.