There is strong evidence that the coronavirus also spreads via small airborne droplets (aerosols), the authors state. An important consequence of this is that much more attention must be paid to ventilation when combating corona in indoor spaces. “Since our plea last summer, when we drew attention to this issue in an open letter with more than 200 scientists, there has only been more evidence of the role of airborne contaminants,” says Prof.dr.ir. Philomena Bluyssen of the Faculty of Architecture at TU Delft, one of the 39 authors of the publication in Science. “The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US have also recently revised their position. They now recognize that airborne contamination is a possible route and recommend ventilation in busy indoor areas. ”
RIVM
It is striking that the Dutch RIVM is very cautious about this matter, say Bluyssen and Loomans. “In other countries, they have recognized this problem much earlier and ventilation options have been involved for much longer,” says Bluyssen. “RIVM is now one of the few parties in the world that has not yet clearly recognized the importance of the aerosols route.”
Cost item
“We should no longer see ventilation, including filter systems and monitoring, as something that you simply add to a building. It must be smartly integrated, ”says Bluyssen. “From now on, you should always be able to offer hybrid ventilation in new buildings. This means that you have natural ventilation as a basis, but that you can add mechanical ventilation at times and locations where it is needed. Ventilation is now mainly seen as a cost item. But look what this pandemic is costing us! ”
By: National Education Guide
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