By David Shukman
Science Editor
For a general practitioner, the mere thought of people keeping windows tightly closed “makes your head explode with rage.”
And a renowned engineer says he embarrasses his family in restaurants “for going around trying to breathe fresh air”.
They are part of a growing group of doctors and specialists concerned with how the coronavirus can accumulate in stuffy rooms.
And with people meeting indoors in the winter months, they say the authorities need to emphasize the importance of outside air.
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How to avoid the virus this Christmas
- What are the new mixing rules for Christmas?
What is the problem?
According to GP, Eilir Hughes, who runs a surgery in North Wales, the government slogan “hands, space, face” does not go far enough.
It appears in the pulpit used by Boris Johnson in the Downing Street instructions, which gives it great prominence.
But Dr. Hughes – who became known as “Dr. Fresh Air” for his campaign on the subject – believes he should say “hands, space, face, replace”.
He says replacing stale air in a room with fresh air from outside can greatly reduce the chances of people becoming infected.
Anglesey’s council is believed to be the first in the UK to display banners containing the four-word slogan.
Dr. Hughes says the new message has attracted attention worldwide.
“I tell people, ‘Give the gift of fresh air this Christmas.'”
What does science say?
At the beginning of the pandemic, authorities focused on what were supposed to be the most likely routes of infection.
One is the risk of touching a contaminated surface – hence the longstanding guidance to continue washing your hands.
The other is to be hit by droplets produced when someone in the vicinity coughs or sneezes – which led first to the 2m rule for social distance and then to face coverings.
But the possibility of a third route of transmission – through tiny particles of viruses known as aerosols that remain in the air – is now also widely accepted.
He was recognized by advisers to the UK government earlier this year and then by the World Health Organization.
In recent days, American officials have gone further, saying that inhaling droplets and aerosols “is considered to be the main way the virus spreads”.
In the face of this risk, hand washing, social distance and the use of masks are not a guarantee of defense.
Do open windows really make a difference?
Shaun Fitzgerald is convinced that it is, and he made it a personal mission to improve ventilation whenever possible.
He is a professor at the Royal Academy of Engineering at Cambridge University, but that does not stop him from “trying to open windows that have been painted or have not been maintained for years”.
“I have to leave if I can’t open them – I refuse to be in a place that is not well ventilated.”
According to Dr. Fitzgerald, research shows that bringing a good supply of fresh air to dilute and disperse the virus can reduce the risk of infection by 70-80%.
He supports the message about hand washing, social detachment and facial coverage, but says that fresh air “is always fourth on the list or often doesn’t even show up”.
“My concern is that the winter cold hasn’t hit us yet, but this season people are already inside the house and the windows are usually closed.
“My big concern is that with the new strain of the virus, we know that keeping aerosols at a low level will be even more important, and that means keeping the places adequately ventilated.”
What are the dangers?
Dr. Fitzgerald points to recent research at a restaurant in South Korea that highlighted how far the virus can spread inside the home.
With the help of contact tracking and CCTV, scientists were able to establish how one cafeteria was able to infect two others, although one was more than 4 meters away and the other more than 6 meters.
Even though all three stayed in the same room for just a few minutes, it was long enough for the air conditioner to carry the virus over those long distances.
“Aerosols can travel many meters once they are in the air,” says Dr. Fitzgerald.
“Two meters does not bring security, the only thing it does is good ventilation. If they had opened the windows in that restaurant, that could very well have changed things.”
But how about letting in the cold?
Dr. Fitzgerald says it is not a matter of opening all windows wide open all day, but of ensuring that there is enough gap to allow fresh air to enter.
And the answer is to add another layer.
“I would recommend wearing a wool sweater instead of just a short-sleeved top.
“But this is what we should be doing anyway, to save on heating bills and reduce our energy demand while we all do our part to fight climate change.”
Dr. Hughes says that airing rooms for a few minutes several times a day doesn’t lose much heat, but it keeps people safer.
And your Christmas gift idea? Thermal underwear.
