“The colder it is outside, the drier the air inside often becomes”, says Bas van de Wiel, professor of atmospheric physics at TU Delft. And those are the ideal conditions for a virus, he says.
He explains why: “Exhaled virus particles have a ‘water shell’. During drought, this shell evaporates faster. As a result, the smaller droplets float longer in a space, making them even smaller.” These virus particles are then transferred more easily and penetrate deeper into the lungs.
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The scientists at TU Delft believe that more attention should be paid to humidity. “We don’t have the luxury of leaving this tool, the humidity, behind: it’s so easy, and so effective. Precisely because most infections take place at home,” Van de Wiel believes.
Ventilation
Since the beginning of the corona crisis, opinion pollster Maurice de Hond has also been a champion of the need to pay more attention to humidity in the fight against the corona virus. “It is ridiculous that there is no attention for it”, he tells EditieNL.
“Every night we are told that we have to have a curfew, but humidity is hardly mentioned.” According to him, ventilation and humidity are the most important weapons against corona. “By raising the humidity, you can make a lot of profit.”
RIVM: Battle for the arm
But the RIVM is not so certain about that. Coen Berends of the RIVM previously told RTL News that viruses do indeed circulate more at low humidity, but that is not so hard to say whether this is also the case with the corona virus.
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“That is because earlier this year you also saw the spread of the corona virus in countries that were not in the winter. Even in the summer period here in the Netherlands you still saw it spread. So we have to keep a close eye on things”, explained Berends then explains.
Windows and doors open
Still, the scientists argue that the humidity in the house should be increased. But how do you notice when it is dry in the house? “It gives you a headache, your skin looks drier and your hair becomes static”, says Van de Wiel. You can measure it with a humidity sensor. “You can already have it for a few euros.”
You can then easily get started with it yourself: “If you open the windows and doors in the winter to ventilate everything, you will see that the humidity goes down. So put a bowl of water on the heater, hang the wax in it. the room, humidifier in the house … “the professor gives as examples of how to make the house less dry.
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