This One Thing Is Secretly Spreading COVID-19, Say Scientists

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Is the recent surge of coronavirus cases a result of the warmer weather in western and southern states? Not precisely, but it is linked in an unsuspecting way. Scientists have noted that people's reliance on air conditioners in warm summer months—and in particular, the recirculation of air in their homes and in public buildings, like restaurants and bars—can increase the concentration of air that others are exhaling.

In other words, while you might be enjoying a more comfortable temperature inside in the A/C, you are also inhaling the air that's been exhaled by others (which may contain germs, bacteria, or coronavirus) and then recirculated throughout the building.

"You're breathing a higher percentage of the same air that other people are exhaling," Edward Nardell, MD, professor of environmental health and immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, explained to WebMD.

HVAC systems have built-in energy efficiency systems that adjust the amount of fresh air being pulled in from outdoors when the temperatures are high, and instead, recirculate more indoor air. So the warmer the temperatures? The more indoor air gets recirculated—which increases the chances of spreading COVID-19 if someone in the space has the virus.

https://www.eatthis.com/covid-19-air-conditioning/?utm_source=nsltr&utm_medium=email&utm_content=metabolism-boosting-recipes&utm_campaign=etntNewsletter

[Wounded Bear]

1. Expecially in apartments...

Last edited Sat Jul 11, 2020, 02:59 PM - Edit history (1)

where there is no separate A/C functions for individual apartments.

[katmondoo]

5. Never thought of that! Thanks

[Wounded Bear]

14. It's all about shared air...

The filters in a typical A/C won't remove any pathogens, really.

[Rural_Progressive]

25. The experts say

Open the windows to maximize dilution and stay away from the vents.

Boy this just gets more challenging by the day.

[smirkymonkey]

17. I live in an older apartment building and we don't have central air, however I have a portable air

conditioner that just filters to the outside open courtyard where nobody ever is anyway.

My last apartment had central air, and the great thing is was that it was free. I could crank it all summer and my electric bill never went up, but this past year I have had to pay for the electricity which makes me a little more conscious of my use.

However, we go back to the office, one week on, one week off starting on Aug 3rd where we do have central air, so I am a little worried about that. Even though we have to wear masks and our company is taking every measure to keep things sanitary, I still am concerned about the increased exposure.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

27. Holy cow, I'm naive.

I didn't even know about such places, except for government-based care facilities.

My apartment building has separate HVAC for each unit, thankfully.

I am very hot-bodied -- a test of my mitochondria confirmed that I have the most heat-producing kind on the planet -- and I'd probably be too hot to sleep if others had control of the thermostat.

I keep the temp in the low 60's in the Winter!

[FakeNoose]

36. My thermostat stays at 62 in winter

I wear sweaters and long johns all winter, but I'm comfortable at colder temperatures. I run a little portable space heater right by my desk while I work at my computer.

Oddly though, I'm able to tolerate higher temperatures in the summer. I don't have to crank my window air conditioner unless we have a couple-three hot days in a row and it doesn't cool down at night. THEN I need to run the AC. Luckily that doesn't happen too often in Pittsburgh.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

39. I like your ambient temp!

I might get too hot in the Summer, though. It's "bad" of me, but I run A/C quite a bit. It's a high efficiency unit, at least.

I actually handle the high temps in the Southwest pretty well, though. I don't get soaked with perspiration because of their low humidity, and the constant evaporation makes me feel cooler than around here.

[obamanut2012]

29. I have never lived in an apartment with a shared HVAC system

And, I've been renting since 1990, and have rented some old, rundown places.

[Blue_true]

33. A lot of high end apartment buildings have shared AC.

Usually big units on the roof. Typically they are set to a temperature in the mid to high sixties, but a person that want hotter can set that. They are more complex systems than standard home AC systems, they also move a lot of air per second, so I don’t know how impactful one sick resident would be.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Get good filters for the ACs too. This helps removes particles from the recirculated air...

[Blue_true]

34. Standard filters won't remove SAR-COV-2 sized virus particles.

Last edited Sun Jul 12, 2020, 12:22 PM - Edit history (1)

A person would need “HEPA” grade filters that filter in the low micron range, but then that person would need a big assed AC blower to move air through that filter.

[SWBTATTReg]

40. That's what I have and what I'm talking about.

[Blue_true]

42. Ok. Thanks. nt

[gratuitous]

3. The worst places for people to gather were the first places to re-open

Bars, gyms, restaurants, salons, churches, all the first places that re-opened.

[Ohiogal]

6. Exactly

[LoveMyCali]

8. That's not how it worked in New York

Gyms are still not open. Restaurants were allowed to be open for takeout only at first and then for outdoor seating in stage 2. In stage 3 salons, indoor seating for restaurants and bars were allowed to open. I personally couldn't be paid to go in a gym, they're petri dishes in the best of times.

[malaise]

10. What about air-conditioned buses and trains? n/t

[Blue_true]

35. If someone is sick and unmasked, that person will make others sick.

The air in what you listed is highly recirculated.

[uponit7771]

16. +1

[Jersey Devil]

4. You can see this manually in automotive AC systems

There is usually a "recirculate" button on auto AC systems

[brush]

7. God! This just shows this virus is going to be with us for a long time...

as businesses are not going to go without AC during the summer, thus the recirculated air.

Same thing with airlines. Even more as airplanes have a smaller volume of space and air to recirculate.

[DFW]

22. Airliners are actually the safest of the three.

Buses would scare me. I've taken a lot of trains in Europe, and they try to space things out. I would not like to try the Long Island Railroad at rush hour, though.

Airliners fly at high altitudes, and the engines suck in air from outside. The place you are least likely to get bad recirculated air is in an airliner at 35000 feet, as the virus can't survive at -53° up there.

[brush]

23. The airlines are packing them in now to try to make up their losses.

No thanks.

[DFW]

24. I'll bet flying in the States these days is not a prime example of "friendly skies."

I haven't taken a domestic flight in the USA since January. I have to take two flights of three to four hours next month.

I hope I don't end up getting rewarded with a first-hand virus experience.

[roamer65]

9. Masks, masks and more masks.

They should be free and everywhere.

[tanyev]

11. Keep your grocery shopping less than 15 minutes?

How is Shelly Miller managing that? Unless she’s going several times a week and that’s not good either.

[luvtheGWN]

20. Going to the grocery store?

Go to the one where you know where everything is.

Take a list.

If you can, go first thing in the morning or else check the website to see the busiest times, and avoid them!

Wear a mask and keep hand sanitizer in your car, and use it once you're ready to leave the parking lot.

Oh, and follow the arrows in the aisles and don't be afraid to say "Excuse me, please move aside" if someone is dawdling!

I'm in and out of my grocery store in under 15 minutes.

Works for me!

(And yes, everyone is wearing a mask, or they don't get in -- we're still in Stage 2 here even with just 1 or fewer cases per day).

[luvtheGWN]

21. Going to the grocery store?

Go to the one where you know where everything is.

Take a list.

If you can, go first thing in the morning or else check the website to see the busiest times, and avoid them!

Wear a mask and keep hand sanitizer in your car, and use it once you're ready to leave the parking lot.

Oh, and follow the arrows in the aisles and don't be afraid to say "Excuse me, please move aside" if someone is dawdling!

I'm in and out of my grocery store in under 15 minutes. And I only go once a week.

Works for me!

(And yes, everyone is wearing a mask, or they don't get in -- we're still in Stage 2 here even with just 1 or fewer cases per day).

[tanyev]

26. I go to the same one every week. I know it well.

In fact, I’ve completely stopped going to other stores like Sprouts and Whole Foods for ‘extras’.

I use a list that is organized in order of the store aisles.

I go early on Sunday mornings when it is quite slow.

I wear a mask and gloves.

I will have to time myself tomorrow, but I’m pretty sure that it takes me at least half an hour to traverse the whole store and get everything on my list. Then there is however much time it takes in the checkout line.

Maybe I’m buying more groceries than you are.

[luvtheGWN]

28. Yes, it's different (time wise) if you're shopping for a family of 4 or more.

But yes, I forgot to say that I write my list according to the store layout, and I shop at my medium-size local grocery store.

Occasionally I will venture in to a local store that specializes in fresh fruits, veggies, bakery and those little luxuries. But the store has strict guidelines and only allows 3 customers at a time (so I have to time it just right!). Masks absolutely required, even though our area has not made them mandatory (much to the chagrin of most of us!). Doesn't have anything to do with "rights", just disagreement on the part of some politicians who think that's going overboard.......gaghhhh!

[Tipperary]

43. I am in and out in no more than 20.

I have a list, which I make in order of where the items are in the store. I take my own bag and use the self serve. Bing bam boom, and I am gone.

I miss being able to dawdle around the aisles, but at least I no longer make impulse purchases.

[tanyev]

44. Well, I timed myself this morning and it was 1/2 hour just going through the store.

I don’t dawdle, but there are some specific dietary needs in my household that make it necessary to look at nutrition and ingredient labels carefully, especially if it’s a product I don’t buy all the time.

[Tipperary]

46. It is easy to get caught up that way.

I have started to take pics of things I might want another time. But 30 minutes ain’t bad!

[SheltieLover]

12. Schools & businesses

Need to redo climate control for more fresh air AND install uvc lights - lots of them & powerful ones in order to protect students & staff and customers / employees!

They will never do it - too expensive.

And who would monitor uvc bulbs?

Sure would not trust these idiots in Memphis to replace lightbulbs. Not even soap in restrooms here in affluent districts.

[magicarpet]

13. This is why Cuomo is pushing and pushing for awareness of,...

....add on Hepa filtration for HVAC equipment in New York malls.

*******

(Start snip)

New York malls will need high quality air systems that can filter out the coronavirus before they will be allowed to reopen, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Monday. 
High efficiency particle air filters, or HEPA filters, have been shown to help reduce the presence of Covid-19 in the air, according to a presentation from Cuomo. 
He said the state recommends all businesses and offices "explore the potential for their air conditioning air filtration system." 

(End snip, more at link)

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/29/malls-in-new-york-state-will-require-air-conditioning-systems-that-filter-the-coronavirus-gov-cuomo-says.html

[Blue_true]

37. Businesses are going to resist going to HEPA filters.

They would need much stronger blowers, which most will not invest money in.

[pansypoo53219]

15. like TB which is spread the same way. ben franlin liked windows open even in winter.

easier to live w/ no AC in wi.

[yaesu]

18. its pretty much the same for heating systems, I think we all can agree that covid isn't

going away because of weather conditions.

[GoneOffShore]

19. I've always hated AC. We have ceiling fans in our apartment.

Temp today was topping at 36ºC but the humidity was 30%. Now down to 22ºC and 42%.

The only time we really want AC is when we're in the car.

[Blue_true]

38. I am similar. nt

[keithbvadu2]

30. Trumpsters have solved that problem...

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk00dkTi5b4178__YzYSEEVcKttYpvw%3A1592960966681&source=hp&ei=xqfyXurUJpupytMP4pONiAo&q=phoenix+church+safe+rally&oq=phoenix+church+safe+rally&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIFCCEQoAEyBQghEKABOgQIIxAnOgUIABCxAzoHCAAQFBCHAjoFCAAQgwE6AggAOgQIABAKOgQIABADOgYIABAWEB46BQghEKsCOggIIRAWEB0QHjoHCCEQChCgAVCOGlixWmCZaGgBcAB4AIABngGIAcsOkgEEMjQuMpgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjqz7qEopnqAhWblHIEHeJJA6EQ4dUDCAg&uact=5

Church leaders of venue hosting Phoenix Trump rally claim they've installed technology that kills '99.9 per cent' of coronavirus in ten minutes

‘So when you come into our auditorium, it’s gone - killed’

Yet you still have to sign a waiver.

Christians would not lie. Right?

[Blue_true]

31. Not only does AC recirc air, it provides almost perfect temperature and humidity conditions

for SAR-COV-2, based upon what I read early one about that virus.

I pointed out months ago here on DU that AC would be a major problem once temperatures became hotter.

[TheBlackAdder]

32. Discussed this with coworkers--they could be 15 feet away and circulated downdrafts will blow it.

[PatSeg]

41. Oh, that is hardly a secret

I think it is quite obvious. Air conditioning in the summer is undoubtedly as bad as heating in the winter. Any time that people are indoors a lot without fresh air, they are more susceptible to infectious diseases.

[Yavin4]

45. I challenge this hypothesis.

A lot of NYers live in apartment buildings with central air. We would be seeing huge spikes in transmissions if this was true. Yet, we have the opposite.