PHOENIX, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- We've read
the facts and we're all in. After you finish this article it will
be hard not to immediately start to wonder about your
personal indoor air quality. Whether we like it or not, the places
we spend the bulk of our days are capable of spreading airborne
contagions, including the Sars-CoV-2 virus, better known as
COVID-19. Low circulation, air stagnation and mixing of infected
particles are symptoms of inadequate indoor air quality. Be it at
home, in your office or at your child's school - the air we share
plays a huge factor in both our own and our greater community's
health.
Advancements in HEPA filtration alongside universal masking can
reduce airborne transmission rates by up to 90%.
The duo of portable HEPA filters and increased air circulation
is so effective that the US government is offering schools money to
upgrade and improve their existing HVAC systems. This
includes adding portable HEPA air filtration systems to classrooms.
Simply opening up the windows is a great way to increase
ventilation and can even increase test scores in students. Though
this quick fix may not always be an option when presented with
extreme weather or outdoor air quality warnings.
Fortunately, the information we have access to regarding the
virus has not only increased but has exponentially more scientific
backing compared to last year. With new knowledge comes an
increased awareness about the dangers of poor air quality.
Particularly regarding indoor air movement: infected aerosol
particles quickly become widely spread and well mixed with clean
air throughout an enclosed space. As such, if someone is sick at
school or work, or at a social engagement, they can just as easily
infect someone standing right next to them as someone on the
opposite side of the room. The mix risk increases exponentially if
that person is engaging in high spreading activities, like singing
or shouting.
These same principles and risks of widespread exposure apply to
our children at school. One unwell child, no matter where they sit,
can put their entire class at risk of contracting any airborne
respiratory illness. Currently many schools use extended close
contact as a determining factor in deciding who to send home to
quarantine alongside their Covid-19 positive peers. When properly
factoring in particle movement in closed spaces (without proper air
filtration measures, of course) "extended close contact" to the
infected student becomes irrelevant. The entire class has already
been exposed.
So what can we do? First we need to understand the nature of
aerosol particles indoors. We know that the exhaled, hot air
follows the laws of physics and naturally rises above the cooler,
room air. We know that this contaminated exhaled air, if not
properly filtered or replaced with fresh air, eventually mixes with
all remaining clean room air. Everyone recognizes how conspicuous
the scent of cigarette smoke is. If a single person is smoking in a
room, the entire party is going to smell it. Unfortunately, the
same rule applies to aerosol particles exhaled from a sick person's
lungs. Everyone gets secondhand exposure regardless of their
proximity to the source.
There is a bright side. The recent advancements in
High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration alongside
universal masking creates an environment that can reduce airborne
transmission rates by up to 90%. That being said, not all air
filters meet the requirements to be a HEPA filter. By definition a
HEPA filter is: "being, using, or containing a filter usually
designed to remove 99.97 percent of airborne particles measuring
0.3 micrometers or greater in diameter passing through it."
Formerly just the stuff of hospitals, HEPA filters are now
popping up in American homes, schools and offices. Some go as far
as spending millions to install hospital grade (MERV rating of 12+)
HEPA filtration units alongside their existing heating, ventilation
and air-conditioning (HVAC) and exhaust systems. Alone, assuming
optimal room placement, a portable HEPA filtration device can
reduce airborne contagions by up to 65%. The combination of adding
a portable HEPA filtration system and universal making reduces
indoor airborne virus transmission rates up to a whopping 90%.
HEPA filters are dense, accordion-like screens made of paper
composed of micro glass fibers, synthetic fibers, expanded film
such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or other materials.
Together these fibers reduce airborne contaminants through four
methods: impingement, interception, diffusion and straining. HEPA
air filters differ from traditional heating or air conditioning
units, which will bring air in but will not necessarily clean it.
The filter's density creates reduced air flow, which is why adding
a portable HEPA filter in conjunction with running the existing
HVAC and exhaust unit creates the optimum balance of air flow and
air cleanliness.
Not just pleasant, a breeze flowing through a confined space is
a wonderful way to keep indoor air clean. Though throwing open the
windows and welcoming the fresh air in isn't always an option. Be
it allergies, the dog days of summer or the dark days of winter,
there are times life forces us to shutter ourselves in. During
these times we are relying on our own man-made methods to keep air
fresh and clean. Until we fully wrap our head around Covid, and as
we inch back to "normalcy," adding a portable HEPA filter with or
without universal masking is a great solution to instantly and
easily create a safer, healthier indoor environment.
Fortunately, Box Pure Air provides an incontestable solution.
Depending on the demand, there are three different sized options.
The largest of the three, the Apex 2.0, is a one-of-a-kind
industrial grade air purifier with the power to clean the constant
expulsion of particles in our air in larger spaces. Box Pure Air is
currently running a giveaway to give 4 of these units to local
schools. Enter to win for your school today! On top of the
certified HEPA filter, it also includes an activated carbon filter
and an antimicrobial filter. With this triple threat, the Apex 2.0
is unsurpassable.
Sources:
Nation Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4552953/
CDC.Gov
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7027e1.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7027e1.htm
Oxford Academic
https://t.co/R4MeIlwBY6?amp=1
CNBC
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/23/mit-researchers-say-youre-no-safer-from-covid-indoors-at-6-feet-or-60-feet-in-new-study.html
Mirriam-Webster
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HEPA
NBC Bay Area
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/worried-about-returning-to-the-office-what-to-ask-your-boss-to-ensure-youre-safe/2579491/
Filtration Concepts
https://www.fcfilters.com/post/learn-what-the-standards-are-for-a-filter-to-be-considered-a-hepa-filter
CBS Tampa Bay
https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/ventilation-is-key-to-slowing-spread-of-covid-in-schools-is-your-childs-school-making-updates/67-c947cb5e-ee67-496b-bef9-8bef5dae8dab
EPA
https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/indoor-air-and-coronavirus-covid-19
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-merv-rating-1
CONTACT: info@boxpureair.com
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SOURCE SinglePoint Inc.; Box Pure Air