Balance Air Quality, Temperature, Humidity To Stay Safe From COVID-19: Expert
Balance air quality, temperature, humidity to stay safe from COVID-19: Expert
Mumbai, 15th April 2020: At a time when India enters into a second, more rigorous lockdown, an air quality expert has come up with an indoor environment formula which can help people stay safe from the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, India has 11,439 confirmed cases and 9,756 active cases of coronavirus.
Indoor Air Quality expert Mansoor Ali from Amfah India, has hammered the correct indoor environment mix which will strengthen people’s immunities and keep them safe from the current outbreak. This combination is a blend of optimum air quality, temperature and humidity.
Amfah India has come to this conclusion from extensive research on three of the worst affected cities from 9 countries each. In this research, they compared air quality and temperature data from these locations against that from 9 COVID-19 impacted Indian cities. He has presented these findings to the health ministry in Maharashtra, the hotbed for the highest COVID-19 cases in India. The department is considering these predictions for their future courses of action.
“COVID-19 is spreading mainly due to human transmission and surface-based contamination. While social distancing and cleansing measures help, we need to boost our immunity levels too. Our research at Amfah India proposes doing this with an indoor air quality of 2.5 PM, 24-degree room temperature and optimum humidity levels”, shared Ali.
Ali, with two decades of research experience in indoor air quality, had been predicting the extent of the current worldwide emergency on Twitter since February 2. Other researchers across the world have now confirmed many of his theories.
He commends PM Narendra Modi, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on the proactive manner in which they’re dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. “Precaution is better than cure – the way India is working on protecting valuable lives is truly inspirational.”
His three-step predictions resonate with the regular directives from the Maharashtra administration as well. CM Uddhav Thackeray has referred to an ambient AC temperature at 24 degrees during the upcoming summer season. This move will also keep most people safe from conditions which can impact our health.
Further, he talked about the positive air quality around us, an unintentional outcome of the lockdown. “There is enough research now linking better air quality to lesser casualties (as the coronavirus impacts our breathing abilities).”
On humidity levels, he said, “All research has confirmed that maintaining an ideal relative humidity (RH) at 40-60 RH will prevent transmission and deactivation of surface-based contamination.”
When quizzed about how people can safeguard themselves from the outbreak, he said, “Focus on immunity & avoid anything which can attract cold & cough”. He shared that there are now working on research around cold and cough as a sign for the crisis.
