News Analysis India

Tag: Ventilation

  • Good ventilation dilutes COVID-19 viral load, crucial in reducing transmission

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Well-ventilated spaces play a crucial role in diluting the COVID-19 viral load of infected air and help in decreasing the risk of transmission from one infected person to the other, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser said on Thursday.

    In its advisory ‘Stop the Transmission, Crush the Pandemic–Masks, Distance, Sanitation and Ventilation to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus’, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) said ventilation is a community defence that protects all of us at home or at work.

    The advisory highlights the important role well-ventilated spaces play in diluting the viral load of infected air in poorly-ventilated houses, offices, among others.

    “Ventilation can decrease the risk of transmission from one infected person to the other,” it said.

    Just as smells can be diluted from the air through opening windows and doors and using exhaust systems, ventilating spaces with improved directional air flow decreases the accumulated viral land in the air, reducing the risk of transmission, the advisory explained.

    “Ventilation is a community defense that protects all of us at home or at work. Introducing outdoor air in offices, homes and larger public spaces is advised.

    “Measures to improve ventilation in these spaces must be taken up on urgent priority in urban and rural areas alike, recommendations for hutments, homes, offices and large centralised buildings are given. Simple strategic placement of fans, open windows and doors, even slightly open windows can introduce outdoor air and improve the air quality inside,” it stated.

    Introduction of cross ventilation and exhaust fans will be beneficial in curtailing the spread of the disease, it said.

    In buildings with central air-management systems, improving central air filtration/increased filtration efficiency is especially helpful when enhanced outdoor air delivery options are limited.

    In offices, auditoriums, shopping malls, among others, use of gable fan systems and roof ventilators are recommended.

    Frequent cleaning and replacement of filters is highly recommended, it added.

    Saliva and nasal discharge in the form of droplets and aerosols, by an infected person while exhaling, talking, speaking, singing, laughing, coughing or sneezing is the primary mode of virus transmissions.

    An infected person who shows no symptoms can also transmit the virus.

    People without symptoms can spread the virus.

    People should continue wearing masks, double masks or N95 masks, it said in its advisory.

    The SARS-CoV-2 virus infects a human host where it can multiply, in the absence of the host it cannot survive, and stopping the transmission of the virus from a person to another person will decrease the infection rate of the disease to a level where it can eventually die, it added.

  • Delhi’s air quality still in ‘very poor’ category, expected to remain the same till Saturday

    Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category on Friday, as per System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research.

    The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted a maximum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius in the national capital today.

    The overall air quality of the national capital was recorded at 235 at around 8:15 am while the AQI in various parts of the city remained in the ‘poor’ category.

    According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research’s (SAFAR) prediction yesterday, cold day conditions are likely to slow down after that.

    Better ventilation conditions are likely to continue for the next two days and likely to continue for the next two days and likely to decrease thereafter, as per SAFAR.

    An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.

    Last month Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai urged the Commission for Air Quality Management to make the bio-decomposer technology mandatory for all states, stating pollution levels in the national capital rise with an increase in stubble burning in the neighbouring states.