Combating Covid 19: Kerala develops Disinfection Gateway

In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCIMST) here has developed a ' Disinfection Gateway' designed for the decontamination of people.

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], April 7 : In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCIMST) here has developed a ' Disinfection Gateway' designed for the decontamination of people.

The 'Chitra Disinfection Gateway' is a portable booth, equipped with a system for generating Hydrogen peroxide mist and UV based decontamination facility. Hydrogen Peroxide fumes decontaminate the body, hands and clothes of a person. The UV system decontaminates the chamber. The entire system is electronically controlled, informed Dr Asha Kishore, Director, SCIMST.

The sensors mounted in the chamber detect the entry of a person and start the Hydrogen Peroxide mist generation process. The person is required to walk through the chamber to the chambers' end. When the person exits, the system shuts off the hydrogen peroxide fumigation system and turns on the UV lamp inside the chamber to decontaminate it.

"After the UV light is switched off-automatically in a prescribed time, the chamber is ready for the next person. The whole process takes only 40 seconds. The system has see-through glass panels on sidewalls for monitoring purpose and is fitted with lights for illumination during use,' said Kishore.

Ramping up it's research activities in order to offer the best assistance to the medical fraternity, the institute, under the Department of Science and Technology, has also come up with an 'Examination booth' for testing the patients without direct contact with the doctor. This would prevent the transmission of any type of infection.

This 'Examination booth' is equipped with lamp, table fan, rack and UV light. The UV light is used to disinfect the chamber after each patient leaves. The installed UV light has wavelength of 254nm with 15 watts rating, which effectively removes most of the viral load within three minutes of exposure.

There are a pair of gloves in examination booth which allow a patient's physical examination.

Additionally, there is an entry tunnel on the side frame to pass a stethoscope within the chamber. This helps a doctor place the stethoscope on the patient and listen to the heart beats and breathing sounds.

After examination, the patient is requested to vacate the chamber and the UV light is turned on for three minutes. When UV exposure in chamber is completed, the next patient is examined, and the sequence is repeated.

India's tally of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 4,421, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday. Out of the 4,421 cases, 3,981 are active cases while 325 have been cured or discharged and one has migrated. The total death toll stands at 114.

( With inputs from ANI )