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Steve Boutin
When singer Phil Collins released “Something in the Air Tonight” it’s doubtful he was being prophetic about what would befall the United States and the world.
Yet, here we are.
And as we learn more about COVID-19 and its spread, there is indeed “something in the air.” The conventional school of thought to protect against COVID-19 transmission to this point has been: (1) wear a mask, (2) wash hands frequently and (3) maintain social distance.
Despite these protocols being in place, the number of total COVID cases continues to rise. In Massachusetts, earlier this winter, it was not uncommon to see over 4,000 new cases daily. If many in our state are adhering to the protocols, why did this happen?
A new scientific reality, supported by a Tulane University study, is that the virus has the ability to infect people via nano-aerosolized particulates. This hypothesis contends that COVID-19 can be spread through these particulates, which can remain airborne for up to 16 hours. These particulates are 100 times smaller than bacteria.
That said, consider the implications. You are in a commercial office building, supermarket, medical clinic or a bank. The coast is clear; you see no one around, so you feel safe. However, if someone with COVID had been in that space within minutes prior to your arrival, and there’s something in the air, what can be done to minimize the chance of unknowingly being exposed to the COVID-19 virus?
Will Portable Systems Work?
This question is of special significance with the emergence of new mutations and variants that can be more easily transmissible or deadly. Whether you’re a bank CEO or the property manager of an office park, this has immediate implications for you.
Some individuals tasked with overseeing the design and/or maintenance of these commercial spaces have looked at expensive HVAC solutions. Others have gone the portable “air purification” route.
Unfortunately, many of the commercial air purification systems simply do not meet EPA or CDC guidelines for air purification and do not capture or contain the sub–micron–sized, aerosolized particulates that help spread COVID-19. Nor do they exchange the air in the room a sufficient number of times per hour to effectively battle the threat, compounded when there are two or more businesses sharing this same, compromised central air handling system.
For property managers or building owners looking for a solution, it makes sense to find an air purification system which will exchange the room air between six and 20 times per hour. Think of what a surgical operating room does to insure sterility. Some systems will also have the capacity to capture and contain these particulates as small as 0.0025 microns, which can carry the COVID-19 virus with its emerging mutations and variants, which range in size from 0.06 to 0.14 microns.
Room air purification is accomplished by continually scrubbing the room air, which should allow the business owners and medical facilities to keep their doors open, while at the same time protecting their staff and clients.
A Hedge Against the Unvaccinated
There are many products on the market. The test of a purification system’s effectiveness is how often it can turn over the air in a room and how effective it is in removing virus carrying nano-sized aerosolized particulates.
For an architect or engineer designing a new building from the ground up, the best solution may lie within choosing the proper HVAC system. But for many existing buildings the prospect of going back to square one may not seem feasible or cost effective. With the advances in portable air purification systems, they may not need to.
We are all hopeful that the COVID vaccine retains its effectiveness over time and that enough people get vaccinated sooner rather than later, while adhering to protocols. In the meantime, though, for people responsible for commercial spaces – banks, schools, shopping malls and medical facilities – a high level of due diligence will be needed to keep the air clean and the building functioning, maintain the safety and morale of the building’s employees, while promoting the extra steps taken to ensure the clientele that it is safe to visit.
We may not be able to police people to follow protocols or force them to be vaccinated, but we can take control of the purity of our own ambient air quality immediately and affordably to capture that “invisible gorilla” in the room.
Steve Boutin is CEO of Sensible Medical, a distributor of commercial air purification and other systems.
