Over the past two years, we have learned a lot about how viruses and illnesses are carried and spread. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, people have taken an increased interest in how air quality impacts health. In the case of COVID-19, we know that spread can occur via airborne virus particles and droplets.
According to the EPA, people who are infected with COVID can release particles and droplets of respiratory fluids that contain the SARS CoV-2 virus into the air when they exhale. And that’s just one illness. Plenty of viruses and harmful bacteria are in the air you breathe all day long. How much does air quality impact health, and what can you do about it?
Air Quality and Your Health
Simply put, bacteria and viruses can travel through the air, causing or worsening diseases. Bacteria and viruses are tiny living organisms that cause illnesses like the common cold or influenza. They can also make some conditions, like asthma or lung disorders, worse.
The trouble with these organisms is that they get into the air easily. When someone sneezes or coughs, tiny water or mucus droplets filled with viruses or bacteria scatter in the air or end up in the hands where they spread on surfaces like doorknobs. There are a few factors that can make the spread worse:
- Crowded conditions can cause bacteria and viruses to circulate more quickly.
- Poorly maintained building ventilation can allow organisms to thrive.
- Damp, humid air tends to increase the survival rate of bacterial matter.
- Some bacteria in certain soils can also cause problems, so in areas where outside dirt can be brought in, it’s important to keep a clean indoor space.
Take Steps to Make Air Healthier
Unfortunately, the human occupants of a home are the source of infectious diseases. You can’t really get away from yourself, or your family, right? Any time an infected person exhales - during breathing, speaking, coughing, sneezing, etc. - they are releasing bacteria and virus droplets into the air. That means it’s essential to keep the air around you and anyone else in your home as free from bacteria as possible.
Good hygiene and personal habits can help to curb the spread of illness. Frequent hand washing, sneezing or coughing into your elbow, and avoiding touching one’s face are all key ways to reduce your chances of getting airborne illnesses.
That being said, you can take further measures to ensure the air you breathe is as clean as possible. According to the EPA, effective ventilation may help to keep bacteria, viruses, and other pollutants out of indoor air. Research shows that airflow and ventilation can affect how diseases spread indoors. The more stagnant the air is, the more likely diseases are to spread.
Air Purifiers Make the Difference
A high-quality air purifier can trap and even kill viruses and bacteria that are circulating in the air. Most viruses vary in diameter from a mere 20 nanometres (that's 0.02 microns, or 0.00002mm) up to 400nm (0.4 microns); some are bigger still. Most air purifiers are designed to filter out particles larger than that, but some use a sophisticated filtration process that catches harmful microscopic particles.
Medify Air purifiers use True HEPA H13 filters with three levels of filtration to catch and remove allergens, pet dander, and more. Only H13 or better removes 99.9% of particles down to 0.1 microns. In fact, ARE Labs tested Medify’s MA-40, MA-50, and MA-112 air purifiers against the particles related to COVID-19 and SARS-Cov-2 and found that they successfully removed 99.95% of the harmful particles from the air in less than 30 minutes.
Whether you’re trying to take important precautions against COVID-19 or you just want air that smells and feels clean, an air purifier can help. Air purifiers come in several sizes designed for different spaces, and it’s important to find one that meets your specific needs at your desired budget. Contact one of our experts to put together a plan for improving air quality and keeping those you care about healthy.
