At a time when India enters into a second, more rigorous lockdown, an air quality expert has come up with an indoor environment formula which can help people stay safe from the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
Several thousands of scientists and healthcare professionals around the world are working tirelessly to find a cure for COVID 19. At the same time, environmental experts and data scientists around the globe are also engaged in research that could prevent the spread of this deadly virus.
Indoor Air Quality helps to correct indoor environment mix which will strengthen people’s immunities and keep them safe from the current outbreak. This combination is a blend of optimum air quality, temperature and humidity.
The “Research has confirmed that maintaining an ideal relative humidity (RH) at 40-60 RH will prevent transmission and deactivation of surface-based contamination said,” Mansoor Ali, Indoor Air Quality Expert, Amfah India.
Mansoor Ali, Indoor Air Quality Expert, Amfah India, with two decades of research experience in indoor air quality, had been predicting the extent of the current worldwide emergency on Twitter .At the same time many researchers across the world have now confirmed many of his theories. It states, the correct indoor environment mix which will strengthen people’s immunities and keep them safe from the current outbreak. This combination is a blend of optimum air quality, temperature and humidity.
Recently, the government has issued the Guidelines for use of ACs amid coronavirus outbreak state that temperature setting for rooms should be between 24°C and 30°C and relative humidity between 40% and 70%. Air filters of ACs should be kept clean, guidelines said. Government said that according to a study in 100 Chinese cities coronavirus transmission significantly reduces at high temperature and humidity.
There was an extensive research on three of the worst affected cities from nine countries each. In this research, they compared air quality and temperature data from these locations against that from nine COVID-19 impacted Indian cities. The key findings to the health ministry in Maharashtra, the hotbed for the highest COVID-19 cases in India. The department is considering these predictions for their future courses of action.
The survey further revels, the COVID-19 is spreading mainly due to human transmission and surface-based contamination. While social distancing and cleansing measures help, we need to boost our immunity levels too. Our research at Amfah India proposes doing this with an indoor air quality of 2.5 PM, 24-degree room temperature and optimum humidity levels,” shared Ali.
He commends PM Narendra Modi, Uddhav Thackeray, CM Maharashtra and Naveen Patnaik, CM Odisha on the proactive manner in which they’re dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. “Precaution is better than cure – the way India is working on protecting valuable lives is truly inspirational.”
His three-step predictions resonate with the regular directives from the Maharashtra administration as well. Thackeray has referred to an ambient AC temperature at 24 degrees during the upcoming summer season. This move will also keep most people safe from conditions which can impact our health.
Further, he spoke about the positive air quality around us, an unintentional outcome of the lockdown. “There is enough research now linking better air quality to lesser casualties (as the coronavirus impacts our breathing abilities).”
On humidity levels, he said, “All research has confirmed that maintaining an ideal relative humidity (RH) at 40-60 RH will prevent transmission and deactivation of surface-based contamination.”
When asked about how people can safeguard themselves from the outbreak, he said, “Focus on immunity and avoid anything which can attract cold and cough”. He said, they are now working on research around cold and cough as a sign for the crisis.
