Ultra Violet and Visible Light as Therapeutic Tools for COVID-19

Abstract

Covid-19 is a disease which has become pandemic because of transmission of the tiny, single stranded virus, called SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-2.  It has infected so far 168 million people with a death toll of 3.6 million in 210 countries. The world has seen worse pandemics but this COVID 19 is the most widespread in the human history quite probably due to the global travels. A few vaccines for this disease is still in different stages of trial and acceptance and there are only three ways of prevention: 1. Avoiding crowds, 2. Wearing a mask when you go out and 3 Keeping hands clean.  The contents presented in this article are the innovations that employ light as the fourth dimension of corona prevention and therapy. One can use UVC (at 222 nm from an excimer lamp or LED or the fourth harmonic of Nd YAG laser at 266nm) for direct irradiation on oral cavity; or visible light (450 nm from blue LED or white light from a handy mobile) for photodynamic   action with curcumin (of common house hold turmeric) as the photo sensitizer. Both could work as therapeutic tools of significant potency.