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Air purifiers: Can they help prevent the spread of the virus?

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Air purifiers: Can they help prevent the spread of the virus?

Air purifiers are portable devices that cycle air through a filter to remove small particles of bacteria, pollen, dust, animal dander and VOCs. They can also help keep indoor air clean and reduce the amount of smoke.

While an air purifier for home or working places can help remove some of the virus-bearing particles that can be inhaled, it’s not enough on its own to protect you from the COVID-19 virus. CDC recommends other measures like social distancing and mask wear for the best protection from the virus.


Ventilation

Ventilation is a critical part of keeping building occupants safe. It exchanges indoor air with outdoor air, filters it, and improves its flow.

Researchers say ventilation is a key strategy in the fight against COVID-19. It can reduce a person's exposure to virus particles, and can protect people who have not been fully vaccinated or people with weakened immune systems.

Despite its importance, many buildings lack good ventilation. And that makes it difficult for building managers to control virus levels.

But school leaders can do a lot to improve their facilities’ ventilation. Funds from the Affordable Reconstruction Program, including Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) and Governors Emergency Education Relief (GEER), can support these improvements.

In addition to reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19, improving ventilation can boost kids' test scores and fewer missed school days. And it can help workers be more productive.


Masks

A few studies show that wearing a mask can help to stop the spread of COVID-19. A study of people in a crowded airport, for example, found that those who wore face masks were less likely to get sick.

Another study looked at the effects of mask mandates in 15 US states and the District of Columbia, finding that these mandates slowed COVID-19 growth rates by 2 percentage points per day. The researchers concluded that these requirements, together with early stay-at-home orders and testing and contact tracing, are helping to keep the disease under control.

However, more rigorous analyses are needed to determine the effectiveness of these tools. Besides assessing the effects of masking, we also need to know if masks prevent transmission from those wearing them or from people around them.


Talking and Singing

A new study shows that talking and singing are no more dangerous for transmitting coronavirus than breathing. In fact, they might be a bit safer.

Singing does not produce substantially more respiratory particles than speaking at a similar volume, according to a study published by researchers from University of Bristol. It's based on experiments with 25 professional singers who were asked to breathe, talk and sing a single pitch into funnels that measured aerosol transmission.

The findings could have implications for live indoor performances, which resumed in England this week after being banned under strict social distancing guidelines.

While many choral groups have sung in public spaces to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19, outbreaks still have occurred. It's important for singing organizations to consider their own risk tolerance and decide whether to return to their performance spaces without significant concessions.


Indoor Environments

The indoor environments we spend the majority of our lives in — home, work, school, transportation, and public spaces — are of vital importance for human health. They are impacted by a combination of air pollutants, surface contamination with toxins and microbes, and contact among people.

These effects can be long-lasting and debilitating, including respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer. Some effects appear years after exposure, while others may show up only after prolonged or repeated exposures.

In order to reduce these risks, there are many factors to consider when designing or improving buildings. They include air quality, lighting, and ventilation systems.

For example, the CDC recommends building-related measures to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ). These can include controlling the temperature, ventilation, and lighting and providing authorized occupants with controls on their environment. These strategies may also help improve employee comfort and productivity. These measures can be implemented in conjunction with other layered prevention strategies, such as hand-washing and personal protective equipment (PPE).

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