Although public mobility restrictions (PPKM) are still being implemented, several areas with improved conditions have started to reopen public spaces, such as schools and offices, with certain limitations on the number of individuals in the space. An air purifier can be one way to implement stringent health protocols to protect employees and students when they return to their daily activities.

At the same time, the pandemic’s impact has flooded the market with a wide array of air purifiers, from new brands to established manufacturers. So what’s a consumer to do when faced with a near-limitless selection of products?

Prior to selecting the right product, consumers should take into consideration the features that are needed and proven to be effective against COVID-19, especially for installations in high risk areas such as restaurants, classrooms, office spaces, operating rooms and other health facilities.

To effectively trap airborne pollutants, an air purifier unit must be equipped with an adequate filtration mechanism. An ideal filtration system should consist of several stages, starting from the pre-filter for capturing larger particles such as dust and mites, to an activated carbon filter which neutralizes gases, smoke, odours, and harmful chemical compounds.

To reach the highest level of filtration, an air purifier should be equipped with a HEPA filter that traps airborne particles down to 0.3 microns in size. Most air purifiers utilize filters that may include a HEPA filter. However, medical-grade air purifiers intended for use in high-risk areas should work beyond filtration.

Rentokil Initial Indonesia, through its Calmic brand, has introduced VIRUSKILLER™, which it claims to have been clinically proven to reduce up to 99.9999 percent of viruses in a single airflow. This is made possible by combining a filtration system and a reactor chamber consisting of a titanium dioxide (TiO2) tube and ultraviolet-C (UV-C) lamps.

After passing through the filtration system, air will be sent into the chamber. When the TiO2 layer reacts with the UVC light, it will release hydroxyl radicals which will break down organic compounds into harmless water and carbon dioxide.

Rentokil Initial Indonesia Managing Director Heri Susanto said that the company was on the right track in its launch of a series of products that were proven to be effective in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“VIRUSKILLER™ has an efficacy rate of up to 99.9999 percent at reducing airborne viruses. This means that if in a room there are one million viruses, after the air is sterilized using a VIRUSKILLER™, chances are only one virus will still be released back to the air. Meanwhile, if you use other air purifiers that utilize conventional filtration techniques with 99.95% efficacy, under the same conditions there will still be 500 viruses that remain in the air.”

At the same time, the air purifier placement must also be considered carefully so that clean air can be distributed evenly throughout the room, as the use of an air purifier in an area exceeding its coverage capacity will reduce the effectiveness of the unit. Users can confirm the coverage area of ​​their air purifier with the product technician.

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