If there is a population that likes fresh air, it is German. For them, this is so important that they even have a term for the act of airing: "Lüften". That routine involves opening the window at least a couple of times a day, even in winter.
It is a fact that Sars-CoV-2 is a virus that took humanity by surprise. At first, the need seemed to be to disinfect all the necessary surfaces and to keep the washing of hands constant. However, it is now known that the strong point of prevention should be the promotion of good ventilation.
Although many scientists have been demanding for years that ventilation systems be optimized to prevent harmful health effects, now humanity is beginning to take it seriously.
Without a doubt, poor ventilation results in a decrease in productivity levels. " We’ve all had that experience of headache or feeling tired in an office, "says Dr. Joseph Allen, "and we can blame it on a bad night’s sleep, a lack of coffee, or a boring meeting, all of which contribute. But the reality is that air quality also contributes greatly, "he concludes.
Poor air quality: a social problem
Poverty makes people vulnerable, both in health, socio-economic and environmental terms, as they are the first to be exposed to environments with poor infrastructure and high levels of polluted air.
For this reason, to reflect on possible actions that improve the internal ventilation systems, it is not only to develop tools or technological mechanisms to achieve it but also how we can ensure effective solutions that are available to all people.
In this sense, many professionals have provided simple solutions to this problem. Such is the case of opening windows regularly, an emergent alternative for rooms with little mechanical ventilation. However, doing so could also expose visitors to the ingress of contaminated air.
Other scientists, for their part, suggest more innovative solutions such as the incorporation of mechanical ventilation and HEPA air filters, which can disinfect contaminated particle spaces. Carbon dioxide measurement methods are also recommended, which can act as an indicator of ventilation rates.
However, making all of these changes requires organized work that takes a lot of time. Making indoor air a healthy environment is a goal that is just beginning. The COVID-19 was just the starting point that drove the great indoor air professionals to focus on the benefits it brings. Because the pandemic may end, but the changes it will bring will last forever.
