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Two robots joining Fraser Health virus-killing fleet named after Dr. Bonnie Henry

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Characterized as “new weapons” to combat viruses and bacteria, Fraser Health says 14 robots joining its team aim to keep people safe in hospitals across the region.

Staff voted to name two of the ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) robots “Bonnie” and “Henry” in honour of Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. The new robots will help disinfect rooms and units alongside Fraser Health’s two other robots, “Phoenix” and “Haley.”

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The robots light up a room as they disinfect, removing viruses and bacteria, including COVID-19, in as little as 20 minutes.

The new cleaning machines came at a cost of about $2 million and were mainly funded by donations from hospital foundations around the Lower Mainland.

“We are grateful for the generosity of our community,” says Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health, in a release. “It is through their support that our UVGI program has grown from a pilot project with two robots to a comprehensive program with 16 in just four years.”

Staff will plan the robots’ schedules, which are kept in an internal time-sheet so the health authority can monitor how often they’re used.

“They may be the flashiest part of the infection team, but the robots don’t work alone,” reads a release from Fraser Health, adding housekeeping staff and health care aides will still be cleaning the traditional way.

Since the UVGI disinfection was introduced in 2016, there has been a reduction in some infections often seen in hospitals, such as C. difficile and MRSA, according to Fraser Health.

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