North Shields engineer's Covid system treats air in a room

The new device takes in room air, passing it over germicidal UV-C light which neutralises the threat. The clean air is then pumped back into the room, a process that on average takes just 20 minutes.

North Shields-born engineer Barry Paterson, who worked for 20 years in the sustainable energy industry, came across the technology while looking for ways to protect his elderly in-laws from Covid. He is now working with commercial manager John Cooper, of Darlington to expand the market.

Their machines are being trialled in dentists, hospitals and schools around the country. As part of the trials, petri dishes containing agar gel, are being placed in rooms around the respective buildings. These collect and grow a variety of bacteria and viruses that exist in the air which are then compared with dishes placed in rooms containing the sanitiser units.

Test petri dishes show the difference the UV-C sanitiser makes with the middle row of untreated samples showing the strong presence of e-coli (Image: Picture: FRENCH AND LAMMING MEDIA)

“I needed something that would look after my in-laws who are in their 90s,” said Barry, who sits on the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Covid taskforce and is considered a leading expert in UV-C sanitising. “I researched the topic and made a first prototype version myself.”

Barry enjoyed a successful career in biomass powerplants and knew Richard Andrews, CEO of West Midlandsa manufacturer, Midtherm Flue Systems. He approached Richard about making a UVC sanitiser in the UK during the first week of the first lockdown. Within a week the new company Midtherm UV Ltd was established.

“It took about 18 months from scratch, half of which we have been in talks with the NHS,” said Barry.

Read more: The North East area which has the second highest Covid rates in the country

"The MT units are simple, reliable and cheap to run, just plug-in and play,” added John.

“Lamps last 9,000 hours, which equates to a year if they are on 24/7, starter units last 100,000 hours and the fans are modular and easily replaced.

"They are also more effective than ventilation which blows around the pathogens and leads to greater heating energy costs at a time of spiralling prices and fears for the environment. Ventilation also fails to eradicate the source of the infection allowing COVID wards to become full of virus, an increased risk to patients and staff.

The technology behind the disinfecting qualities of certain frequencies of UV light date back to 1837. UV-C rays, in the range of 100-280 nanometres, have a strong germicidal effect on bacteria, viruses, spores, fungi, moulds and mites as they destroy their DNA, damage their reproductive system and prevent them from replicating. UV-C is already used widely in food and pharmaceutical industries.

The intensity of the UVC radiation is designed to “kill” a wide range of bacteria and viruses including the Bacillus, Coli, Clostridium, Legionella, Vibrio, Salmonella, Listeria, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, SARS-COV-2, influenza, measles and respiratory virus.

Because the germs are inactivated there is no need for expensive high-efficiency particulate air filters, which become blocked, impede flow and efficiency and then becomes a bio-hazard needing the expense of clinical disposal.

The units have been tested for safety by the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle to ensure no potentially harmful light escapes from the casing.

The MT range cost £1,650 for the smaller unit, £2,800 for the large, which, on a lease purchase works out at around £3 per day, and around 5p a day to power.

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