Vanesa Lopez
10/22/2020 3:24 PM
Clarín.com
Society
Updated 10/22/2020 3:24 PM
Air conditioning, no
.
Windows, yes.
The beloved "split" that gave us so many joys, this summer will be
prohibited on the Coast
.
That has been talked about since Tuesday, when the Buenos Aires Minister of Production, Augusto Costa, presented the protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus during the season.
"The central air conditioning systems will
not be able to work
because they are proven elements of the spread of the virus," said Costa, on one of the "limitations" that the places of gastronomy and hotels will have.
And he added that only natural or fan ventilation will be authorized.
But what evidence is there of the contagious power of air conditioning?
The World Health Organization (WHO) does not expressly prohibit it.
What it does mention, on its website, is that all workplaces, schools and tourist accommodation “
must have pure and clean air
”.
"The WHO recommends that the ventilation rate be increased by natural or mechanical means,
preferably without recycling the air
", indicates the agency.
"In case the air cannot be renewed, it is necessary to
clean the filters frequently
, especially in positions where there is a medium or high risk of exposure to Covid-19," continues the WHO, giving accommodation as an example tourist.
It is important to frequently clean air conditioner filters.
Photo File.
So far there is little published research on the subject.
“There are some things written, especially from China and Southeast Asia.
And also some who studied it at the time of the other coronavirus epidemics, such as MERS or SARS-CoV-1 ”,
infectologist Cristina Freuler, head of Internal Medicine at the German Hospital
, tells
Clarín
.
For his part, Carlos Luna, former president and Coordinator of the Respiratory Infections Section of the Argentine Association of Respiratory Medicine (AAMR) maintains that the journey of pathogens through the air conditioning ducts was found to be "
responsible for several infections
."
Take the example of the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Tokyo after a Covid-19 outbreak early in the pandemic.
"(The air conditioning) could be responsible for many of the infections," says the pulmonologist.
Why could air conditioning spread the virus?
“With the air conditioning the air recirculates a lot.
When (this disease) enters a recirculation system without the proper filters, which usually do not exist, it occurs as
an expansion of the area where it can be infected,
"explained the vice minister of Health of the province, Nicolás Kreplak, in dialogue with radio The net.
"There are examples of studies where it is seen that in distant tables, a person coughs and infects another table that is
four or five meters away
. So, what we want is to reduce its use, to avoid the recirculation of fluids that may bring the air and avoid massive infections in a single environment, "he added.
Air conditioners are capable of carrying the respiratory 'microdroplet' much further than two meters.
Photo Xinhua.
According to Dr. Luna, the biggest problem is that someone comes into
contact with viruses from another
, known or unknown, with whom they share an environment.
This can happen in our house, in a restaurant, in a movie theater, or in a means of transport, to name a few places.
"The air movements produced by the fans of the conditioners are capable of taking the respiratory 'microdroplet'
much further than the two meters
at which they recommend us to be," warns the expert in respiratory infections.
"In addition, the
recirculation of air
that occurs in air conditioners, in the absence of efficient viral filters such as those that should exist in airplanes, can potentially carry this material to more distant places", Luna closes.
Tips for using the air conditioner
1) Avoid it when we receive visitors
"A married couple living in isolation
can use it without problems,
" explains Dr. Luna.
It ensures that when we are alone in our house there are no risks with the air conditioning.
With cohabitants, in principle, it is a risk similar to that of when we are alone.
But when visits come - according to the pulmonologist - it may be a good indication to
avoid the use of this equipment
.
2) Ventilate the rooms
Research published this week in the journal
'Physics of Fluids'
concluded that opening windows
reduces the presence of aerosols
in an air-conditioned classroom by
40%
.
"What is generally said is that, despite having air conditioning, one has to
have ventilated rooms,
" says Freuler, who recommends opening the window from time to time.
Opening the window, a key to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Photo Xinhua.
One of the indications - continues the infectologist - is to
have the bathroom window
or the extractor open.
So the air is going to run from the air conditioner to the bathroom exhaust fan, and in that way, the exhaled air of the people goes out.
3) Clean the filters
“There are some types of air conditioners that take in the air from outside and expel it outside.
And others that make it circulate.
Among those that circulate it, they may have a filter, but many times in domestic air conditioners
these filters do not filter the virus part
”, Freuler warns.
It is recommended to clean the filters
at least twice a year
, indicated by the RCA appliance company, since "their correct cleaning will guarantee correct operation".
To do this, no professional is needed.
Simply unplug the equipment, open the front cover, remove both visible filters, and rinse them with warm water and by hand.
Let them dry and they are ready to be put back on.
4) Put carbon dioxide meters
“It is recommended in some cases to
put carbon dioxide meters
so that people have some reference that the environment is beginning to be poorly ventilated.
Because if you're cool enough, you may not be aware of this detail, ”says Freuler.
5) Turn on the air before the people arrive
The infectologist Freuler comments that there is a European guide on the use of air conditioners in public places, such as schools and shopping malls.
In those cases, what is recommended is that it is turned on to high power
before people start to arrive
.
And when people arrive, lower the power, so there are less drafts.
DD
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