Ozone can disinfect rooms from Covid in minutes Researchers discover that gaseous ozone can quickly and cheaply sanitize entire rooms, including objects inside them and hard-to-reach locations. March 10, 2021, 9:19 am Placing drops of virus suspension on sterile surfaces prior to ozone exposure. Photo courtesy of Tel Aviv University. Low concentrations of ozone gas effectively sanitize surfaces against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus after a few minutes, according to an Israeli research group. Ozone, found in the thin layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that guards us against harmful UV radiation, has long been used as an antibacterial and antiviral agent in water treatment.