Dream City Church set to host Trump claims it has coronavirus-killing tech
An Arizona megachurch set to host President Donald Trump this week says it has installed technology capable of killing 99.9% of coronavirus-carrying particles within minutes.
“Hey, gang. We have some exciting information about what we’re doing to fight COVID-19 here at Dream City Church,” says pastor Luke Barnett in a video posted on Twitter. The church will host the Students for Trump convention Tuesday — and Trump himself is scheduled to visit on Tuesday afternoon.
The technology, called “CleanAir EXP,” was “developed by some members of our church,” adds Brendon Zastrow, the church’s chief operations officer, saying “it kills 99.9% of COVID within 10 minutes, from independent testing.”
The tech, the pair say, does this through “ionization of the air,” a process that purportedly removes COVID-19 particulate and creates an environment the virus is incapable of living in.
“So you can know when you come here you’ll be safe and protected,” concludes Barnett.
While the possibly game-changing technology may work in a controlled laboratory context, however, experts say there’s no way it will in the 3,000-seat auditorium.
“The short answer to your question is NO, you will ABSOLUTELY NOT BE SAFE AND PROTECTED. When you are dealing with hundreds or thousands of people in an AUDITORIUM, some of whom will carry the virus,” Philip Tierno, Ph.D., New York University clinical professor of pathology, tells the Phoenix New Times of the church’s claim, in an email using all-caps to make his point.
“This thing is not going to do anything in terms of protecting people in that space. Period,” University of Toronto civil engineering professor and filtration specialist Jeffrey Siegel tells the New Times.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego released a statement Monday saying that the event “was not sanctioned or permitted by the City of Phoenix, as the city does not permit political events. Furthermore, it does not abide by current CDC guidelines during COVID-19.”
The church will be handing out masks and taking temperatures at check-in, the mayor’s statement notes, adding, “Everyone attending tomorrow’s event, particularly any elected official, should set an example to residents by wearing a mask. This includes the President.”
