ORANGE, Calif. – A germ-zapping robot is part of the preparations at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, should more cases of COVID-19 appear in Orange County.
The robot disinfects empty hospital rooms with pulsating UV light, hitting every surface a patient or healthcare practitioner may have touched.
“It penetrates the cells, damaging the DNA in the pathogens,” said Omar Castro, the hospital’s director of environmental services.
MORE ON THE CORONAVIRUS:
- Coronavirus Case Count Climbs to 14 in Los Angeles County
- Rep. Schiff Blasts President Trump for Contradicting Health Officials
- Governor Newsom Declares State of Emergency Over Coronavirus
If the hospital receives a patient showing symptoms of COVID-19, the new strain of Coronavirus, the robot will be a part of the plan.
However, the hospital’s infectious disease expert, Dr. Charles Bailey, says the robot is not the only thing that can stop the spread of Covid-19.
“The underpinning of environmental decontamination is soap and water,” Dr. Bailey said.
In other words, wash your hands.