Protecting Your Air Quality from COVID-19

Protecting Your Air Quality from COVID-19

The new coronavirus, COVID-19, has the attention of the entire world. This virus has spread rapidly since the outbreak began in China in December 2019. With headlines warning us of travel bans, canceled conferences, and school closures, we have to ask, is there something we are missing to prevent the spread within our own indoor environment?

There are different kinds of coronaviruses, most of which only cause mild symptoms and illness, such as a cold. According to the World Health Organization, common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.  We do not know what caused this novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but research is being carried out to find its original source. So how can we combat this new deadly flu? The CDC and the WHO have both stated that washing your hands frequently and steering clear from carriers will be enough, however as more cases are popping up, new precautions are surfacing.

It’s no mystery that the air inside our homes, offices, and buildings we enter may be contaminated. What if the building is ‘sick’ and harboring more than just the Coronavirus?

According to the EPA, 50% of residential buildings and 80% of commercial buildings both have water damage, which is the breeding ground for bacteria, viruses, and black mold. The particulates produced by molds (mycotoxins) have been medically labeled as more dangerous to human health than mold spores themselves. Once inhaled, Mycotoxins can have serious health implications. Black mold symptoms can mimic the flu and worsen pre-existing conditions like Asthma, Auto-immune Diseases, and more.

The reality is bacteria, molds, viruses, and toxins are living and thriving in our homes. Unfortunately, no matter how much cleaning products you use to prevent organic materials from growing, it continues to, from the top to the very bottom of your house.

Air purifier technology today operates at a high capacity, high efficiency, and ability to clear the air of potential viruses, mold, and dangerous particulates.

To help reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus, cleaning the air in the room is a great step towards warding off the virus.. Installing an adequate ventilation system can ensure that the air exchange is adequate, but pollutants that are outside can still enter the room. The best way to stop viruses in the air is to install an air purifier. Choose an air purifier that is able to filter out 99.9 percent of pollutants as small as 0.1 microns, including H1N1, an earlier strain of coronavirus similar to 2019-now.

There are three phases of air treatment filtration, purification, and sanitization. 

Filtration’s job is to capture contaminants and ultrafine particles from the air. It is the part of air cleaning known as a REACTIVE procedure. It’s a reactive process because it requires contaminants and ultrafine particles to come to it, rather than proactively going out to discover and destroy them. This means that these particles need to airborne and get caught in the air stream created by the filter unit to be removed.

Purification’s job is to eliminate organic contaminants (like mold, microorganisms, bacteria, and viruses) from both the air and on surfaces. While filtration gets contaminants out of the air and holds them until you replace the filter, purification basically destroys them by binding to the contaminant causing them to explode. Purification is the process called a PROACTIVE procedure. Ions leave the unit destroying mold and other organic contaminants. It doesn’t make a difference where the contaminants are found. Throughout the air, on surfaces, these ions can destroy where filters cannot.

The sanitization procedure utilizes similar ions that are made to remove ultra-fine in-organic particulate from the air. Sanitization is both REACTIVE and PROACTIVE. The ions attach to these contaminants, making them bigger and heavier. This causes the ultrafine particles that are too small to be captured by the filter, become large enough to for the filter to trap.

corona virus at home

How to Prep for the Coronavirus at Home

Just a week ago, the first “community spread” of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) was detected in the United States: a woman in Northern California who hadn’t been exposed to anyone known to have the virus.

Before her diagnosis, people in the United States were only thought to be at risk for COVID-19 if they had recently traveled to a high-risk area abroad or been exposed to someone who was sick.

But the woman in California hadn’t traveled internationally, nor had she been in contact with anyone with the infection.

This suggests that person-to-person transmission may be more likely than we originally anticipated.

Since then, COVID-19 casesTrusted Source has popped up around the country. As of March 3, in addition to the 48 cases from repatriated people from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, there have been 60 new cases across 12 states. Nine people have died.

Soon, we may see widespread activity. Health officials are urging citizens not to panic but to prepare.

In initial testing, experts have found that COVID-19 may result in mild symptoms for many people.

Here are five expert-backed ways to prepare for a pandemic.

Buy soap and disinfectants
Health experts widely agree that frequent handwashing is the most effective way to avoid contracting COVID-19. So, the first thing to do is to make sure you have a healthy supply of soap.

“For preparation, I think the most important thing is to make sure they have enough soap — and that can be plain old bar soap to wash their hands on a regular basis,” said Dr. Michael Ison, an infectious disease physician, and professor of infectious diseases and organ transplantation at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The virus may also be able to survive on surfaces for longer than a week, so disinfecting wipes can be useful. Some researchTrusted Source shows bleach- and ethanol-based cleaning products may be the best at wiping out viruses on surfaces.

You don’t need to stockpile disinfectants and hand sanitizers, Ison says, but have a bottle or two available.

Stock up on supplies
Experts say that if you’re healthy, you probably don’t need to buy face masks.

For one, they’re not going to be very effective in preventing you from getting sick. Surgical masks are thin and have spaces through the sides where germs can easily get in. They’re mainly useful for people who are already sick to help limit how many respiratory droplets are shot into the air when they cough or sneeze.

But if people keep buying the masks, there will continue to be shortages, and the individuals who actually need the masks — sick people and healthcare providers — won’t have them. What you do need is a couple weeks’ worth of food and supplies, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

“Having supplies that can help your household run normally for a few weeks is sufficient,” said Dr. Manisha Juthani, a Yale Medicine infectious disease specialist.

Look for frozen foods and canned items that won’t go bad.

You don’t need to stock up for the end of the world but stay on top of what you have to ensure you don’t run out of goods if you’re homesick for a couple of weeks.

“Be more thoughtful to get more before you run out instead of waiting until the last possible second,” Ison said, adding that grocery stores will continue to stay open, and you can always ask a friend or neighbor to bring over supplies if you do run out.

Stock up on medicine
It’s also crucial to keep an eye on your medications.

Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, fever reducers, and decongestants are thought to help relieve milder symptoms of COVID-19. Rather than waiting until the last minute to fill prescriptions, keep them replenished.

“I think one of the most important steps people can take right now is to be sure they have a 30- or 90-day supply of critical medications that may be hard to get due to supply chain interruptions,” Linda Lee, DrPH, an environmental health expert and chief medical affairs and science officer at UV Angel, told Healthline.

People who have an underlying condition — such as lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes — need to be even more vigilant to protect themselves, Lee adds.

Early reports show the disease is most severe in people with other health conditions.

Check-in with work and school
We’re probably going to see the school and work closures in communities where the activity is heightened. Now’s the time to call your children’s schools and your boss and ask them about sick day policies so you can put a plan in place. Companies should reevaluate their work from home policies, as people will need to quarantine themselves if they contract the virus.

“We will need to listen to the guidance of our public health officials that will be best equipped to inform these decisions. All parents need to have backup plans should their children need to remain home,” Juthani said.

Pay attention to local news
Most importantly, stay up to date with what’s happening in your community. If the new coronavirus does strike, look to your local health officials.

“If COVID-19 hits your community, first remember to stay calm and not to panic. Listen to the guidance of your local government and public health officials,” Juthani said.

This is a quickly developing situation. New information comes out every day — so how we should prepare and respond will likely evolve in the coming days and vary from community to community. In the meantime, start to prepare and practice healthy hygiene habits just as you would during any cold or flu season, Lee says.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. And remember, some people with COVID-19 may be asymptomatic, so handwashing and cleaning surfaces can go a long way.

touch your face

You Probably Touch Your Face 16 Times an Hour: Here’s How to Stop

We all do it. We touch our faces countless times every day. An itchy nose, tired eyes, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand are all things we do without a second thought.

However, touching your face can significantly increase the risk of infection with flu or cold viruses, but especially the new coronavirus.

Your mouth and eyes are areas where viruses can enter the body most easily, and all it takes is touching them with a finger already carrying an infection.

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Two ways to transmit an infection
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, the new coronavirus, also called SARS-CoV-2, is transmitted from person to person, like many other respiratory infections.

This includes by respiratory droplets produced when someone sneezes and inhaled into the lungs of others, and by touching a virus-contaminated surface and using that hand to touch your eyes or mouth.

While we can easily avoid being around someone who’s obviously sick, or take precautions against airborne viruses using a mask, avoiding the virus when it’s on a surface is almost impossible.

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We touch our faces all the time
Scientists researching this behavior find that people are constantly touching their faces.

In one 2008 study trusted Source, 10 subjects were each observed alone in an office environment for 3 hours. Researchers found they touched their faces an average of 16 times per hour.

Another study from 2015Trusted Source observed 26 medical students at a university in Australia to discover they touched their faces 23 times per hour. Almost half of the face touches involved the mouth, nose, or eyes, which are the easiest pathways for viruses and bacteria to enter our bodies.

Even medical professionals, who should know better, were found to touch their faces an average of 19 times in 2 hours while being inconsistent about observing proper hand hygiene.

“When actively working, people will often shake their foot, play with their hair, or in these instances, touch their faces. It certainly helps to know when you are most vulnerable to such activities and try to stay aware, during the meeting, or phone call, or while engrossed in work,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, in Menlo Park, California, told Healthline.

Handwashing is key
So, we take precautions like washing our handsTrusted Source often and using at least 20 seconds to do so. But this can only help if we also avoid touching our faces, as there’s no way of knowing when you’ve picked up a tiny, and potentially deadly, passenger.

According to the CDC, effective handwashing consists of five simple steps:

  • wet
  • lather
  • scrub
  • rinse
  • dry

However, we touch our faces so often that the odds of recontaminating our hands between washings are extremely high. All it takes is touching a doorknob or similar surface and you’re in danger of infection again.

“A new ring, jewelry, or even a rubber band around the wrist can serve as a reminder to increase awareness of the hands, and ideally to remember to not touch your face,” said Dimitriu. “Something needs to be different, however, to encourage ‘different’ and nonautomatic behavior.”

It’s a habit you can break
Zachary Sikora, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital in Huntley, Illinois, offered the following tips to avoid touching your face during the coronavirus outbreak.

“Be mindful about your intention to keep your hands away from your face. Just a brief pause can help you be more aware of what you’re doing with your hands,” he said.

He added that it also helps to place reminders like Post-it notes in your home or office so you can see them and remember you want to keep your hands away from your face.

“Keep your hands busy. If you’re at home watching TV, try folding laundry, sort through mail, or hold something in your hands,” Sikora explained, adding that even a tissue will do, as long as it reminds you to keep your hands away from your face.

He also recommended using a scented hand sanitizer or a scented hand soap to help remind yourself to keep hands away from your face. The smell will draw your attention to the location of your hands.

If you’re in a meeting or sitting in a class, he recommended lacing your fingers together and placing them in your lap.

Finally, if you know you habitually touch your face, Sikora said wearing gloves can be an effective physical reminder.

“You can wear gloves when you’re out in public and most likely to be exposed by touching surfaces that have the virus,” said Sikora. “Then remove them when you get to your destination. It may be unusual, but wearing gloves at home can also help you break the habit of touching your face.”

The bottom line
Your eyes, nose, and mouth are the easiest paths for a virus-like SARS-CoV-2 to enter the body.

All it takes is touching these areas with your hands after you’ve come in contact with the disease on a surface you touched. No matter how frequently you wash your hands, it’s not often enough to prevent passing an infection into your system. The best preventive measure is to avoid touching your face as much as possible.

Experts say that using some simple methods will help you break this habit. These include using scented hand soap or sanitizer to increase awareness of where your hands are and keeping your hands in your lap during meetings.