Can Air Purifiers Really Minimize The Chance of Getting Coronavirus?
You may know Jeffrey Siegel as a professional scientist regarding air quality inside the buildings. So there are no doubts that Siegel really knows a lot about viruses spreading through the air. Although Covid-19 isn’t joking, Jeffrey Siegel doesn’t need to cancel his family dinners as he knows how to decrease the risk of getting the virus. His secret weapons are air purifiers.
He simply locates them close to the table choosing the right place for each of them. This means that he prefers to put purifiers near those people who have more chances to get the coronavirus like children (it is so as they can’t be vaccinated but they go studying regularly) and people who are immunocompromised. Jeffrey Siegel confirms that’s just one of many measures he uses to minimize the risk, however, it’s a really helpful one.
How can these purifiers decrease coronavirus spreading?
When Covid-19 just came into our world we learned that it is very important to wash our hands regularly and clean the surface that we may touch as our hands and things that we can take or touch are the main ways to spread the virus and get infected. However, today scientists believe that the most essential thing is to take care of the air that we breathe as it’s the most possible way to get infected now. That is why doctors and the government recommend people to wear masks in public places and ventilate their homes pretty often letting the air get in and out of their rooms. Of course, it’s impossible to say that an air purifier can replace mask-wearing and ventilation but it definitely helps as it filters viruses including Covid-19.
Steven Rogak who is exploring different aerosol measures for coronavirus elimination inside of the houses and also working as a professor at the University of British Columbia has confirmed this thought. Rogak says that coronavirus is very small but when we try to imagine it we can picture some droplets that can be created when people have conversations, or sing, or whatever. But these droplets don’t fall so it is possible to catch them with a specific device that will filter them.
What type of purifiers can be more beneficial to fight coronavirus?
In case you are planning to purchase such a purifier you can see many types of them in the shops which can make your choice even harder. But here is a little helper: choose the one with the filter inside as that’s the only way to decrease the coronavirus spreading in your place. The most beneficial air purifier is the one that has a HEPA filter that is able to destroy 99,97% of any bacteria, mold, etc., including particles in the air that are about 0.3 microns. Siegel proves that the purifiers that have such filters are really good if your goal is beating the coronavirus spreading, however, other professional filters can be great as well.
Jeffrey Siegel thinks that the most important thing is the clean air delivery rate level known as CADR. This rate shows how much clean air you can get through this filter in a particular period of time. The CADR rate uses not only the efficiency of the filter but also the airflow of the purifier. That means that even you buy a purifier whose filter isn’t as efficient as HEPA but which airflow rate is higher than the purifier with HEPA has then the CADR will be also good.
Siegel says that CADR which rate is 200 is enough for a small room, although if your room is pretty big, then the rate from 400 to 500 will be perfect. The package of each air purifier should contain the data about the size of the room that can be cleaned by this purifier. But there are other options of purifiers that you can find in some stores: they use ionizers and other things instead of filters. Siegel states that such purifiers are still not explored well so their efficiency is not confirmed which is why it is better to avoid them. Another option that you may see is an air purifier that has UV technology. Siegel says that it can be really helpful in some places like hospitals but the portable ones that can be used in the apartments and truly help are still not created. That is why choosing an air purifier with such technology won’t be a good idea either.
What main rules of using air purifiers to decrease Covid-19 spreading are known?
Jeffrey Siegel and Steven Rogak mention that buying an air purifier can’t guarantee that now you are protected from Covid-19. Such a purchase is definitely beneficial but it should be used as an additional measure to some common ones, including wearing masks, trying to stay inside when you are not feeling well, not inviting too many people for dinner, etc. Siegel doesn’t have any doubts, he is sure that a purifier can help but he also adds that it is very important to use it correctly. Here is what it means.
You may think that if you get a purifier that has a professional filter and put it somewhere in your room it will save you and your family from coronavirus. But the truth is that it’s not correct and Jeffrey Siegel explains that well. Your home is probably full of other people (friends or family members)and as you are spending time with them a lot, an air purifier won’t be able to decrease the coronavirus risk.
However, the quality of the air will definitely be improved. But if someone new is getting into your house, for example, a technician or a guest, then using such a purifier can save people from getting infected if this new person has the virus. This device can also be very helpful if someone from your family already has Covid-19 in the opinion of Rogak. Of course, everyone must put on masks but adding some other measures is always a good idea. So all you should do is simply turn the air purifier on in the place where the person with illnesses is isolated.
What are some other reasons to buy such an air purifier?
Nowadays, air purifiers are purchased to fight Covid-19 mostly, although they can be actually very helpful for filtering all dirt, bacteria, and allergens. Jeffrey Siegel confirms that such purifiers with filters are very useful for children suffering from asthma, old people struggling with respiratory problems, anyone with a serious allergy.
It is possible to find a lot of air purifiers in the market and all of them will have different prices. It is obvious that the bigger your room is the bigger purifier you need which will lead to a higher price. Siegel says that a good air purifier with some impressive CADR can cost not more than $400. Of course, there are more expensive options that have some whistles and other accessories but they don’t filter the air in a better way, so there is no need to pay extra. Making such a purchase can’t save you from coronavirus but it’ll definitely help to stay more protected.
Steven Rogak has noticed an interesting thing. He says that when the pandemic has just started, some scientists were stating that filtering air will help. But no one was listening as people mostly believed that the virus wasn’t airborne. And nowadays, people came back to those thoughts finally understanding that air purifiers help. Again, it won’t solve the coronavirus spreading issues but it’s just an additional measure to protect yourself from the virus.