Colorado health experts weigh in on UV light as sanitization and treatment for COVID-19

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- After President Donald Trump asked doctors to look into ultraviolet light as a possible treatment for coronavirus, local experts are weighing in on UV light's properties and uses.

On Thursday's White House press briefing, Bill Bryan, a senior official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said early tests suggest sunlight can kill the virus on surfaces outside the body.

President Trump then asked his medical experts would look into the possibility of using UV light to treat COVID-19.

“Suppose that we hit the body with a tremendous -- whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful -- light, and I think you said that it hasn’t been checked and you’re going to test it," the president said. "Suppose you can bring the light inside the body.”

The Centers for Disease Control has stated UV radiation can be effective at killing bacteria and viruses on surfaces. In fact, health-care facilities sometimes use UV light to destroy airborne pathogens and sanitize contaminated surfaces in operating rooms.

However, the CDC also reports overexposure to UV light can damage skin and lead to serious health issues, including cancer.