While you may or may not agree with all (or even any) US government policies, one of the new ones we can all get behind is that clean air and higher air quality is good for health. This is particularly important now, with COVID considerations a part of our everyday life.
The Whitehouse Briefing Room has released various information on this, which can be found in a full-length memo here, summarised for you below to help provide more information on guidelines they have suggested, which are helpful for all businesses internationally, including the UK.
Transmission
The most common COVID-19 transmission method is via virus particles in the air after an infected person has been in the space, and those are breathed in by an uninfected person.
While there are barrier methods to avoid this – from remote work to wearing a mask around others – it’s vital to make indoor shared or workspaces safer by filtering and cleaning the air itself. If you would like to read more into the studies The White House Memo is founded on, they are here and here.
Ventilation
Ventilation is a critical element of all advisory information provided, and bringing in clean air is key. Indoor air often has minimal movement, so it must be adequately moved while the outside air is pumped in to refresh. This cycle – when enacted efficiently – ensures viral particles don’t hang in the air.
Therefore, ventilation strategies and systems that circulate air, disperse viral particles, and lower the risk of inhalation are best. Prioritising having a sound ventilation system in place is one aspect. But equally important is maintaining that system to a high level of cleanliness and functionality.
Air Filtration
The use of high-quality air filters like HEPA or MERV-13 and ventilation or air purification system that actually removes viral particles is also important.
Air filtration supplements ventilation or can be used if adequate ventilation isn’t a viable possibility. For example, HEPA filters are considered 99.97% efficient at catching COVID-19 particles.
Air Disinfection
Air disinfection – or actively endeavouring to kill airborne viruses through various methods – can add an additional protection layer to an indoor space. For example, one study cited in the memo shows that when UVGI is used alongside proper ventilation, it has about 80% effectiveness against the spread of airborne tuberculosis, which has been correlated to COVID particles.
However, more research is needed to develop affordable and less energy-consuming UVGI systems for there to be a chance for wider adoption in buildings.
Keep Your Air Cleaner with Ventilation Cleaning
So with all of this advice, it’s worth considering when it was last that your ventilation system was cleaned. Cleaning ventilation and air filtration systems are vital components in keeping air quality up and COVID transmission to a minimum. When you need professional and experienced cleaning help, reach out to Grease Gone Commercial Cleaning London for further details about how we can help or receive a quote.
