Kohler restaurant installs virus-killing lights for indoor dining
KOHLER, Wis. - In Kohler, one restaurant has become the first in the U.S. to install dining room lights designed to kill the coronavirus.
Leave it to a restaurant called The Blind Horse to be the first in the country to install a product that works by killing things we can't see.
"We need to kill the virus, real-time, while people are in the room -- safely," said Thomas Nye, general manager and winemaker at The Blind Horse.
Here's how it works.
"People have heard about UVC for a long time, but this is a special part of UVC. Far UVC, that allows the light to be on when humans are in the space," Gene Daniell, with Healthe Inc., said. "It will kill viruses, bacteria, flu, any of those sort of things.
"So it's got the germicidal character, but it's also safe for people."
Far UVC lights installed at The Blind Horse in Kohler
In layman's terms, the restaurant has outfitted its standard dining room lights with far UVC light. Customers will be safe while drinking and dining, but bacteria and viruses -- like COVID-19 -- won't be.
"What we are trying to do is provide the safest environment that you can come and enjoy yourself," Nye said. "It's not just the far UVC, we've also installed fans that suck up the virus in the air and sanitize with standard UVC up towards the ceiling."
Dining area at The Blind Horse in Kohler
As COVID-19 cases continue to grow in Wisconsin, many business owners worry about keeping customers safe indoors.
However, at The Blind Horse, there is safety that can't be seen.
"This is the opportunity, the technology, that gives us a fighting chance -- this is it," said Nye.
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The Blind Horse is currently open for business and invites all customers to come and see the lights for themselves.
Business owners interested in getting lights of their own can visit healtheinc.com for more information.