Air purifiers can help SPREAD Covid-19 in confined spaces, study says
- Study shows air purifiers help move Covid-19 germs into confined spaces
- Devices are installed to clean the air in small areas where people gather, such as elevators
- Scientists say purifiers can ‘increase the spread of droplets’ if someone coughs
Air purifiers can help spread Covid-19 in confined spaces, such as elevators, an important study said.
Air quality in small areas without adequate ventilation often requires a purifier to help kill viruses and bacteria – but there is no proven system for removing coronavirus at this time.
Scientists at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus carried out a study to see what would happen if a person coughed in a crowded elevator.
Professor Dimitris Drikakis said: ‘Our results show that installing an air purifier can increase the spread of droplets.’
A 3D model created by scientists shows how air purification systems in elevators can help spread Covid-19 germs released after an infected person coughs
The study says the devices increase the transmission rate by moving particles loaded with the virus.
Air quality in small spaces would decrease rapidly without adequate ventilation.
Therefore, most modern elevators are equipped with air purifiers to remove any floating contaminants.
The machines use ultraviolet radiation to kill viruses and bacteria, which can be harmful.
The model created an elevator that would have space to accommodate about five people, with the scientists concluding: ‘Installing an air purifier can increase the spread of droplets.’
Scientists at the University of Nicosia say the elevators should operate at a lower capacity to minimize the risk of Covid-19 spreading
But sucking in the dirty air and blowing in the clean air increases ‘general circulation’, a problem that has not been addressed until now.
A 3D model of an elevator with a capacity for five people was created by the researchers.
Ventilation and a purifier were added to the elevator so that researchers could determine how they influenced air circulation.
A mild cough was then simulated in space to measure the spread of virus-infected saliva droplets.
Using the same model, previous studies have found that drops of saliva can travel 18 feet in five seconds when a person without a mask coughs.
The chances of catching the virus were less when the space had reduced ventilation, the researchers found.
Prof Drikakis added: ‘We quantified the effect of air circulation on virus transmission through the air and showed that installing an air purifier inside an elevator significantly alters air circulation, but does not eliminate air transmission.’
People in the UK have been told to stay at home since the government declared a national blockade in early January.
But for those who still go to the office or live in an apartment building, taking the elevator can be part of the daily routine.
Professor Drikakis said: ‘Our results show that installing an air purifier can increase the spread of droplets.
Most modern elevators are equipped with air purifiers to remove any floating contaminants. Study images show how particles move around the ‘elevator’, potentially coming into contact with people on board
The more people inside the elevator are infected with COVID-19, the more damage an air purifier does, the researchers also found
‘The integrated air intake inside the purifying equipment induces a flow circulation that can contribute to the transport of contaminated saliva droplets in the cabin.’
The more people inside the elevator are infected with COVID-19, the more damage an air purifier does, the researchers found.
Professor Drikakis added: ‘Restricting the number of people allowed in an elevator would minimize the spread of the virus, as well as improve the design of air purifiers and ventilation systems.’
The results were published in the journal Physics of Fluids.
Last year, what report? warned people that household air purifiers have not been proven to remove 100 percent of Covid particles from a room.
The watchdog said its effectiveness depends on factors such as the size of the room and the type of filter used by the purifier and its age.