Germ-fighting robots disinfected 62,000 rooms during COVID-19 pandemic

Germ-fighting pods can disinfect mobile pieces of equipment like wheelchairs, incubators and IV poles, Fraser Health says. (Fraser Health handout)

A fleet of robots that disinfected thousands of rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic now have new tools to help kill viruses and bacteria.

Fraser Health Authority said in a statement Tuesday it's acquired two new ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI, disinfection pods.

The health authority said the pods can easily be collapsed and can disinfect small areas or smaller items, like wheelchairs, incubators and IV poles, without having to close off an entire room.

"Embracing new solutions is pivotal to providing our patients with the best care possible," said Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, in a news release.

"UVGI disinfection and our new disinfection pods are part of a multi-pronged approach to reduce hospital-acquired infections."

The pods complement the work done by UVGI "germ-zapping robots," which were bought in 2020. That fleet of robots has "logged thousands of hours and disinfected nearly 62,000 rooms" in less than two years, Fraser Health said.

The UVGI robots use short pulses of UV light to damage DNA and RNA of some harmful pathogens. They can remove viruses and bacteria from a patient's room in 20 minutes.

"We must remain vigilant to keep all viruses and bacteria out of our acute and community facilities," said Ruth Dueckman, executive director of infection prevention and control for Fraser Health in a news release.

"UVGI robots and pods are one of the innovative tools to help keep our patients and staff safe. We have seen a reduction in some hospital-acquired infections such as C. difficile and MRSA since we first introduced UVGI disinfection into our region in 2016."