Humidification


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Oliver Zimmerm humidity contro


U


such as the corona (IAQ) are falling sh


at above 40%RH has been including coronavirus and


indoor air virus ready?


Is UK


mann, chief executive of ol regulations for public


transmission and the nation’s health Kbuildingoccupan


cplacesandthesubseq fCondairGroup,expres


nts are being exposed to increased ri avirus, because the UK’s regulations hort of current scientific knowledge.M nscientificallyshowntoreduceviral dinfluenza.Yetout-of-dateregulation


in buildings such as hospitals, offices and schools experiencin humidity levels every winter.


ng dangerously low ns on the topic result cross infection, Maintaining IAQ on indoor air quality sk from viruses,


Studies, such as Casanova et al 20101, have specifically examined humidity’s role in coronavirus transm


deactivated fastest when exposed to a mid-range humidity (50 dry (20%RH) or damp (80%RH) air. There are many other stud from the 40s to now, that all indicate that an indoor humidity o


mission. This study showed that coronavirus was (


)


of 40-60%RH has a ies, dating back 0%RH), rather than


positive impact on cross infection and people’s susceptibility toviruses.Alongside Casanova et al 2010, there are at least 25 further studies on the issue. The UK building service


es sector accepts this indoor humiditylevelasbeing


best practise, with professional bodies such as BSRIA and CIBSE endorsing a mid- range humidity for health that determines an accep designers, who are driven


hintheirrecommendations.Howeve r, ptable range of indoor humidity for pu


not commonly include humidity control in their plans.


The seasonality of viruses, such as coronaviruses and influe evidence of humidity’s rolle in their transmission. Indoor air is the winter and this corres


sponds to the rise of infections. The g


coronavirus containment strategy takes into account the fact t probably drop as warmer return to a midrange 40-6


s


rweatherreturns,andindoorhumidi 60%RH. It doesn’t need to be this way


humidity can be maintained during winter if buildings incorpor as part of the ventilation system. This would significantly redu transmission and save thousands of lives every year. The government and th


government address it. public are largely helples infection occurs via the ai focuses on hand hygiene g


ss to manage this important aspect of raswellasfromphysicalcontact.As and avoiding unwell people. Howeve gg


he NHS advice on mitigating the risk f


uce seasonal flu rated humidification y. A healthy indoor ty levels naturally that infections will government’s much drier in enza, are further


from coronavirus


finfectioncontrol, sthegeneral r, viral cross


r without regulation ublic places, building


ntoreducebuildingenergyconsumption and costs, do The respo


operators to healthcare f


onsibility to manage IAQ ultimately fa osafeguardoccupanthealth Thisisp facilities, where people are most vuln


.T


infections, such as coronavirus and influenza. Design gu


ventilation systems for healthcare premises (HT control is no e


uidelines, such as the Department of s


ot required unless for specific physio


alls on building owners and particularly true with regards nerable and at risk to airborne


guidelines even present the expense of operating for avoiding humidity control, without any acknow offers for infection control. The Department of Ed quality in sc


chools also state that humidity contro exposure to very low humidity is acceptable. to the overw


Mr Zimmermann concludes by calling on the UK regulatory bodies to listen whelming scientific evidence that indo


effective infection control mechanism leading to indoor environment.


the maintenance of a healthy oor humidity of 40-60%RH is an


lisnotrequiredandshort-term ducation’s guidelines on indoor air wledgement of the benefit it ghumidifiersasthemainreason logical or operational reasons. The M03-01),statethathumidity Health’s own guidance on


Oliver Zimmermann, chief executive of Condair Group


quent impact on possib sses his concerns abou


ble coronavirus ut the lack of


!"


July 2020


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