Air conditioners can spread the coronavirus: how to survive the heat and not get infected

Countries around the world began to mitigate the quarantine introduced in connection with the coronavirus, people gradually began to fill public transport, offices, shops and gyms. The air temperature moves up and makes us wonder: is it possible to turn on air conditioners in the summer heat during a pandemic? This publication found out with the BBC.

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Do air conditioners increase the risk of infection?

In short, yes, conditioners, according to scientists, can contribute to the spread of coronavirus. But they cannot be its source.

In this case, it is important to understand where and how they are used.

What does science say?

As it turned out, very few scientific works on this topic have been carried out so far and their results cannot be considered representative.

For the first time, the role of air conditioners in the distribution of coronavirus was widely discussed after a study by Chinese scientists about a restaurant in Wuhan.

Scientists have found that nine people caught the coronavirus when they were sitting near the air conditioning in a restaurant.

The virus, according to scientists, was spread by one of the visitors, who had practically no symptoms. She sat across from the air conditioner. Later, in nine sitting at adjacent tables and not directly contacting a woman, the COVID-19 test also turned out to be positive.

However, it is important to remember that the sample of this study was small and the conditions were not laboratory. Therefore, many scientists have reason to doubt its representativeness.

The theme of the Chinese study was picked up by a popular doctor in Ukraine, Dr. Komarovsky.

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In his video blog, he cited its results and made a disappointing assumption: “When the virus that we exhale gets into the air flow artificially created by climate technology, then this is all very serious.”

In addition, many recall in this context the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where out of three thousand people on board, more than 700 fell ill, and many of them after the introduction of quarantine on the ship. Doctors suggest that the airliner's air conditioning system played a significant role here.

How does the infection occur?

All experts note: the air conditioner cannot be the source and “nursery” of the coronavirus, because the virus is transmitted only from person to person.

However, air conditioning systems, they say, can actually increase the area of ​​infection if a sick person is in the room.

This is due to the way most air conditioners work.

It should be borne in mind that although air conditioning adds freshness to the room on a hot day, in fact it is the circulation of the same air.

“There is a general practice: when you turn on the air conditioning, you close the windows completely. The air conditioner works in such a way that it takes air from the room, cools it and returns it back. That is, it creates recirculation of that same air,” says Daniil Brindak, a hygienist.

Therefore, when a person infected with a virus sneezes, breathes or coughs, a stream of air from the air conditioner can carry these drops, although not very far.

Therefore, remember - the direction of air flow matters.

Do I need to give up air conditioning?

Does this mean that you should completely abandon conditioning?

If you answer in one word, then no.

First, air conditioning in your own apartment or home is much safer than in crowded places - as long as you and those living with you are healthy. And if your house is not visited by a large flow of people.

As for offices and restaurants, the risk, of course, is greater. But in general, experts do not recommend giving up air conditioning, because being in a stuffy room can be even more dangerous, especially for older people.

The main advice from experts is to regularly ventilate the room.

“There is no point in banning people from using air conditioners because they are used for physical comfort. But good ventilation of the premises is a must,” notes Daniil Brindak.

In addition, coronaviruses usually lose their infectivity as the temperature rises, and if you can affect the air temperature, try to keep the room a little warmer than you usually used to in summer.

In the end, you should remember about the well-known rules of staying on the premises: to maintain social distance, to disinfect hands and not touch your face. Indeed, the risk of infection through surfaces and with direct contact is much greater than through conditioning, experts say.

What to do if there is a patient at home?

If there is a person with coronavirus at home, the best way would be to turn off the air conditioner and open the windows for ventilation.

“By opening a window, you will get much more clean air, and this will reduce the possible concentration of coronavirus indoors,” notes Svetlana Zagorodnyaya, head of the department of virus reproduction at the Institute of Microbiology and Virology. Zabolotny.

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If the window cannot be opened due to allergies in one of the residents, leave the air conditioner turned on, but do not let it cool too much, because coronaviruses feel better in the cold.

In addition, if possible, close the room where the patient is located so that the air flow from the air conditioner does not spread throughout the apartment.

“In this case, the most important thing is to keep patients away from ventilation openings,” advises Svetlana Zagorodnyaya.

She also reminds us of the need to follow the rules for using air conditioners: “You need to clean it on time, correctly direct the flow of cold air, maintain a temperature fluctuation of 6-10 degrees Celsius compared to external conditions, and also ventilate the room every day.”

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