Indoor temperature, humidity, and ventilation must be increased in public and private buildings to curb COVID-19 transmission. Indoor temperatures of at least 75°F (24°C) and relative humidity levels of 50%-60% are recommended.
Good ventilation (rapid exchange of indoor and outdoor air) also decreases the coronavirus spread.
A large body of research shows that low temperatures and low humidity contribute to flu-like virus epidemics, while high temperatures and high humidity reduce or even prevent flu-like epidemics. The results are confirmed in the lab. COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses and Influenza viruses are enveloped RNA viruses from the respiratory virus group, so this knowledge is fully applicable to the current epidemic. There are many mechanisms by which higher absolute humidity suppresses these viruses, including:
- keeping our mucous membranes wet and better capable of dealing with the viruses
- faster virus deactivation on surfaces and in the air
- decreasing amount of virus which is expelled with cough in droplets but remains in the air as aerosol
People in the US and other developed countries spend most of their time indoors. The typical indoor conditions are characterized by very low relative humidity, lower than optimal temperature, and bad ventilation. Heating and air-conditioning without humidification dries indoor air, and the low humidity contributes to survival, infectivity preservation, and transmission of the coronavirus. There is evidence that the indoor climate has been worsening over the last 10-15 years.
See Increased indoor humidity may decrease #Coronavirus #COVID-19 transmission in WUWT for the full article with annotated references.
via Science Defies Politics
April 1, 2020 at 01:08PM
Iowa Climate Science Education 