Air Filters Can Effectively Kill Covid-19 Particles, Says New Hospital Study

A new study has shed light on how air filters can be effectively used to remove nearly airborne traces of Covid-19 in a given environment.

Conducted by the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke's Hospital, the study could help limit transmission in already contagious zones for Covid-19 and other air borne viral infections that have the potential to spread quickly.

Sky News/University of Cambridge/Addenbrooke's Hospital

Published in the Clinical Infection Diseases journal, the study suggests using portable air filtration and sterilisation devices with ultra-violet capabilities to prevent transmission of Covid-19.

Unsplash/Representational image

How the process works

Led by Dr. Vilas Navapurlar, SkyNews quoted the intensive care specialist as saying that reducing airborne transmission is a key part of protecting not only the patients but healthcare workers at any hospital.

While PPE kits remain extremely effective at limiting Covid-19's spread, air filters can play a more robust role in keeping the air virus-free.

The best part? Air filtration devices are rather modestly priced and can be spread out across hospitals in case another Covid-19 wave were to hit the world, signs of which are appearing in European countries at the moment.

Reuters

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To test out the hypothesis, researches installed particulate air filters/ultra-violet sterilisers to filter out particles. It is a device made up of thousands of fibres knit together to effectively filter out particles.

The series of machines operated continuously for seven days, effectively filtering most possible volume of air in every room 5-10 times.

Using a PCR-like method, doctors used air samples to figure out the concentration of Covid-19 aerosol particles. They found the filters not only eliminated covid germs but also helped cut down bacterial and fungal particles.

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Do you think all hospitals in India should follow suit and install air filters in hospitals, especially given how devastating the summer wave of Covid-19 was? Share your thoughts with us below.

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Citation

Sky. (2021, November 16). Researchers find way to filter coronavirus particles out of the air. Sky News.