Infection control
Maintaining indoor humidity levels key to fighting the virus With much in the news covering the social impact of the coronavirus outbreak, Dr. Stephanie Taylor discusses the need to ensure public buildings, such as schools and hospitals, have a humidity level so that viruses cannot spread To manage the spread of Covid-19, we The simple factor of maintaining healthy are all working as a global collective levels of indoor humidity is something to manage our behaviours responsibly, that would benefit our health through such as through meticulous attention reducing the burden of Covid-19 as to hand hygiene and social distancing. well as other seasonal viral illnesses. As individuals, these are undeniably key steps for us to protect ourselves and each Dry indoor air other as we fight the current pandemic. In my practice as a paediatric oncologist, However, individual behaviour is just one I was alarmed by how many of my young factor in our efforts to contain the virus patients came down with infections during and limit subsequent disease. The their hospitalisation despite our environment surrounding us best medical treatments. It plays a lesser-known, yet was at this time that I essential role in the became concerned that Among the degree of viral spread there might be another indoor v and in the severity factor at play; the a r that inc iables of Covid-19 illness. indoor climate r e ase the likeliho Since we spend and the hospital most of our lives building itself. After from haod of infection , n in buildings – such years of work, d h ygiene room c as schools and including obtaining t o l e a astound ning, one workplaces and a master’s degree i our homes – we in architecture, factor sng common could and should be reviewing numerous tands o u doing more to ensure studies of patient dry ind oor air t: the conditions of these infections and the indoor environments are built environment optimal for human health. and undertaking my own
research, my suspicion was confirmed. Among the indoor variables that increase the likelihood of infection, from hand hygiene to room cleaning, one astounding common factor stands out: dry indoor air. An abundance of data from research in infection control, microbiology and building science show that maintaining indoor relative humidity between 40-60 per cent improves human health through several mechanisms. This relative humidity zone optimises the ability of our immune system to fight viral infections, decreases the bio-burden of infectious particles in our breathing zone (the air) and actually decreases the infectivity of many viruses and bacteria floating in the air and settled on surfaces. When this optimal range of relative humidity is not maintained, it becomes harder for our immune systems to defend against respiratory viral infections even if we maintain high personal hygiene standards. Public buildings like schools, workplaces and hospitals have undoubtedly been hotspots for the spread of the Covid19 outbreak, not just because of viral cross infection via physical contact, but in large part due to the airborne transmission of E Issue 20.2 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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