Rives:
The article specifically says:
The ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun's rays eliminates virtually all disease-causing bacteria, viruses and micro-organisms.
I cannot personally vouch for the efficacy of the process they describe, but UV irradiation is a proven disinfection technique, and is definitely effective against viruses. In this case it has the additional advantage of being readily available--and free.
If I get a chance to delve into this further I'll let you know. What struck me about the BBC piece was that the technique is simple, cheap, effective and has been extensively tested in the field.
Hope this helps.
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