Many people may be asking themselves “How can I reduce my risk of contracting Covid-19?”
According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers, ventilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and thus the risk of transmission through the air. Unconditioned spaces can cause thermal stress to people that may be directly life threatening and that may also lower resistance to infection. In general, disabling of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems is not a recommended measure to reduce the transmission of the virus.
Is there more that can be done to reduce the risk than simply keeping the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems running?
Although the EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, does not recommend the use of ozone generators and air purifiers to effectively remove viruses, bacteria, mold, or other biological pollutants, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers states that air filtration with MERV type filters or HEPA filters is well understood, and UV-C has been well studied in infection reduction (although not for COVID19 specifically). The ASHRAE has recommended steps for large spaces for both during a shutdown as well as re-opening. To read through these steps, check out their FAQ page here.