During the COVID-19 outbreak, where we spent most of our time indoors, it is necessary to take extra precautions to ensure our environment is clean and protected from the airborne transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Even though our houses are the safest place to be during this outbreak, we can never be sure of the air quality we breathe in. Even the cleanest environment can contain invisible particles harmful to your health or exacerbate existing health issues. Air pollution contributes to various health effects, including itching eyes, headaches, nausea, flu-like symptoms, breathing difficulties, and asthma-like symptoms.

As concerns about improving indoor air quality grow, air purifiers come into play to help us achieve that aim. A device that filters and eliminates impurities from space to improve indoor air quality is known as an air purifier. It maintains indoor air quality by removing odours, smoking, dust, furniture polishing, and pet dander through filtration and releasing clean, purified air.

Well-Known Air Purifiers Among Malaysian

HealthWay, Honeywell, Coway, Xiaomi, Dyson, and Blue Air are just a few well-known air purifier brands among Malaysians. Each air purifier has its specifications and technical performance in filtering indoor air to make it the cleanest and safest for people. Each brand claims to produce the finest air purifiers for its customers; with so many options available, which brand has the best air purifier?

Before Purchasing an Air Purifier…

Before purchasing an air purifier for your household usage, we must consider several crucial factors. One of the most critical factors to consider is the filtration technology used by the air purifier, whether it uses a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, the standard recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Lung Association. HEPA filters capture 99.97 percent of particles 0.3 microns or larger and nearly all particles smaller.  Air purifiers with HEPA filters minimise the number of allergens and asthma-inducing particles in the air, making it easier for those with allergies and asthma to manage their symptoms.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

Activated Carbon Filters

We should also opt for air purifiers that include additional activated carbon filters, in addition to HEPA filters. These are the only filters that can eliminate chemicals, gases, odours, and scents from pets, cooking, smoking, paints, and cleaning supplies. If you live with a smoker or have pets, these filters can be beneficial as they offer cleaner air and make your household smell nicer. For optimal air purification, we need both filters. We should look for other factors before committing ourselves to air purifiers in our houses: the size, noise level, energy consumption, filter life, price, and ease of use. The table below shows comparisons between air purifiers and other brands.

DFS Vs. HEPA

Based on the table above, one of the criteria HealthWay products have over other air purifiers in the market is that HealthWay is the only brand that employs Disinfection Filtration System (DFS) Technology, which is 40 times more efficient than HEPA technology. While HEPA filtration technology is the standard set for an air filtration system that captures 99.97% efficient at 0.3 microns, DFS Technology captures 99.99 percent of all particles as small as 0.007 microns. In addition to removing odour, pet dander, and smoke, this DFS Technology is able to eliminate viruses in the air, something HEPA filter is not able to do, making HealthWay the most efficient air purification system on the market.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while air purifiers do not cure the symptoms we get from indoor air pollution, they help lessen those dangers and improve our lives. Step one in enhancing indoor air is selecting the best air purifier for your house. When choosing an air purifier, we need to look at the features and specifications before deciding which one is the best air purifier for our house. When buying an air purifier, the essential factors that we should consider are the filter types these air purifiers carry, the pollutants they can filter, size, ease of use, price, noise level, and energy consumption.

A year into the pandemic of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease, the global effort to develop and distribute an effective vaccine produced several promising options. The accelerated development of multiple vaccines is unprecedented; the process typically takes eight to fifteen years.

Now, the immunization of a critical mass of the world’s population—which is crucial for getting the pandemic under control—is up against a new set of challenges, including dangerous new strains of the virus, global competition over a limited supply of doses, and public hesitation about the vaccines.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

How does a vaccine work?

Traditionally, vaccines are dead or weakened virus molecules—known as antigens—that trigger defensive white blood cells in the immune system to create antibodies that bind to the virus and neutralize it.

There are four main types of conventional vaccines:

• Live vaccines use a weakened form of the virus to prompt the creation of antibodies;
• Inactivated vaccines use a dead version of the virus;
• Toxoid vaccines use toxins made by the virus to produce immunity to the part of the virus that causes disease; and
• Subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines use proteins or other pieces of the virus.

There are also several types of vaccines that use the virus’s genetic material—DNA or RNA—to prompt the body to create antibodies. More than a dozen of the COVID-19 vaccine candidates that have gone to clinical trials are genetic-based, including those by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and partnering German firm BioNTech and by U.S.-based Moderna. No vaccine of this kind had ever been approved for commercial use in humans before the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, some COVID-19 vaccines rely on viral vectors, or modified versions of a different virus, to prompt an immune response. Several approved COVID-19 vaccines use viral vectors.

When most of a population has been vaccinated and is immune to a particular disease, even those who are not immune are considered protected because the likelihood of an outbreak is small. This is known as herd immunity. Chicken pox, measles, mumps, and polio are all examples of diseases for which the United States has achieved herd immunity due to vaccines. Scientists are divided about how much of a population must have COVID-19 antibodies to prevent new outbreaks, with estimates ranging from less than half to over 80 percent.

Who is involved in vaccine development?

Vaccines are frequently collaborative efforts across sectors of society, with private pharmaceutical firms teaming up with public health agencies or university labs. Here are snapshots of some of the major players in the COVID-19 vaccine field.

Governments. Public health agencies have played critical roles in supplying funds to develop COVID-19 vaccines.

International institutions. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other multilateral institutions such as the World Bank are focused on financing and manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines for global use, in particular to ensure fair allocation among all countries. 

Private sector. The pharmaceutical industry has been driving much of the push. Companies ranging from biotech start-ups to giants such as U.S.-based Johnson & Johnson shifted their research and development efforts to focus on COVID-19.

Research institutions and non-profits. Many of the COVID-19 vaccine candidates have involved a university or college assisting in preclinical research or clinical trials.

How are COVID-19 treatments helping?

Dozens of treatments—which would not prevent someone from being infected with COVID-19 but could help reduce the severity and duration of illness—have been developed or repurposed. Among them is the antiviral drug Remdesivir, which was developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences and approved by the FDA. An NIH-sponsored trial of Remdesivir that involved dozens of sites in the United States, Europe, and Asia showed faster rates of recovery from the virus. Some health experts are also optimistic about the use of dexamethasone, a common steroid, which was found to reduce the risk of death in severely ill COVID-19 patients in the UK. The FDA has authorized emergency use of convalescent plasma, or blood plasma of previously infected people who have created COVID-19 antibodies. Though plasma donations have already been used in tens of thousands of patients, research is ongoing to determine the treatment’s effectiveness.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

Can vaccines end the pandemic?

Even with about a dozen vaccines approved for emergency use, there remains the tremendous challenge of making enough of them for the world’s population.

Meanwhile, several new strains of the coronavirus are raising concerns among scientists and health officials about increased transmission, waning immunity in people already infected with COVID-19, and reduced effectiveness of vaccines that have already been developed. Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna are already developing booster shots to increase protection against the new strains. Ahead of U.S. approval for its vaccine, Johnson & Johnson reported that its shot provided higher protection against these strains in clinical studies than initially thought.

Related Articles:

Covid-19 Vaccinations for Malaysia

COVID-19 Propels Indoor Air Quality Solutions as Top Concerns for Businesses to ReLaunch to the “New Normal”

● Singing of MOU on 8th April 2021 between the Head of both companies and website
is launched on the same day
● Special offerings on both companies’ products and services for public and business
sectors, for quicker one-stop solutions.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

Kuala Lumpur, 8 April 2021 – Malaysia premier healthcare provider BP Healthcare and indoor
environmental technologies and engineering solutions provider Enviro Group has
established a partnership in creating stronger health and hygiene solutions for Malaysians.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding took place at BP Healthcare office in
Medan Tuanku, and was executed by Ms. Kelly Chung, COO of Doctor2U, BP Healthcare and
Mr. Ahmad Fuad Che Mi, Group General Manager of Enviro Group.

“As a healthcare solutions provider, BP Healthcare is constantly evolving to be at the forefront
of healthcare. We are always looking for the right partner in delivering more values and
coverage to our customers. Today, we are glad to welcome Enviro Group as our partner. With
more than a decade of experience in end-to-end disinfection services and in-door
environmental solutions, we are sure that Enviro Group is able to meet the needs of the
consumer and B2C market,” as mentioned by Ms. Kelly Chung.

BP Healthcare has been at the forefront of Covid-19 screening through heavy investments
and establishing a series of partnerships with different industries to provide more
comprehensive solutions to both public and businesses.

“Meaningful collaborations are important for the benefits of our community, with a partnership
with BP Healthcare, we are able to provide more businesses and the public with much needed
top-to-toe health and indoor hygiene solutions. We believe in protecting people and
assets by providing a cleaner and better indoor environment. Our wish is that Malaysians
continue to uphold the hygiene protocols and not take things for granted,” said Mr. Nitesh
Malani.

Enviro Group specialises in integrated indoor environmental technologies research and
development, providing a full range of services from consultation, in-door air quality monitoring
and cleaning, disinfection and sanitisation, and technical training.
Public and businesses are offered a special discount on the services provided by both
companies via the BP Healthcare website.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Gavry Beh, Vice President of BP Healthcare
Group, and Mr. Nitesh Malani, Group CEO of Enviro Group.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

The coronavirus disease has affected 140,531,290 and killed 3,012,206 across 219 countries and territories in the world, according to worldometers.info.

A recent study published said that COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was thought to spread through droplets, is primarily an airborne pathogen. This study brings us a step closer to understanding the virus, the way it spreads, and what can help prevent transmission.

Though the coronavirus is still thought to spread primarily through respiratory droplets passed from person to person, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognizing that airborne transmission is also a threat since small particles can linger in the air for minutes to hours, be inhaled, and lead to an infection.

The CDC also acknowledges that these minuscule airborne particles can travel farther than 6 feet, particularly when people are talking, singing, or even breathing heavily in indoor environments with poor ventilation.

“Improving indoor ventilation and air quality, particularly in healthcare, work, and educational environments, will help all of us to stay safe, now and in the future.”

How to protect yourself from the airborne spread 

Handwashing, physical distancing, and donning a face mask are key safety measures to protect yourself from COVID-19.

Double face masks are critical in reducing the risk of spreading or being exposed to the virus via aerosols.

Since aerosolized droplets (containing viral particles) may remain in poorly ventilated rooms for minutes to several hours, the importance of wearing a mask while indoors should strongly be considered. Besides, it is highly recommended to do Indoor Air Quality Assessment (IAQ) to ensure the ventilation system within the area is functioning.

In only a few short weeks, the emergence of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has created an unprecedented impact on the way we live and work. As the virus emerged, our social life was impacted badly.

While many organizations are moving to remote work, some companies work with proprietary systems or with sensitive materials that require employees, or shifts of workers, to be on-premises to get their job done well. As champions of a great work experience, we want to help everyone stay healthy in the office while sharing common workspaces.

We believe workplace wellbeing extends not just to cleaning and disinfecting the office, but to good communication and signage strategies, and healthy office culture for COVID and beyond. We hope these tips for office safety will provide both knowledge and peace of mind as we navigate this critical public health issue.

•       Regular cleaning guidance from the management or HR
•       Air quality and ventilation systems
•       Social distancing in the office
•       Communication and signage

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

PROPER CLEANING GUIDANCE BY MANAGEMENT

While the spread of the virus might feel unavoidable, the fact is that good cleaning and disinfection routines can greatly reduce or eliminate the risk of a viral count of COVID-19 on surfaces and objects in the office. As employers, it’s all of our duty to maintain a clean environment and make sure every person feels safe coming in every day. 

Few key points you should know before you begin:

• Use disposable gloves, gowns, a mask (like a cloth face covering) for cleaning and disinfection. Carefully remove and throw them away immediately after disinfection and trash disposal.
• Always clean before beginning disinfection. Cleaning with a detergent or soap and water solution removes particles that can carry risk of COVID-19 on surfaces. This reduces the viral load before disinfection begins, which helps the disinfectant to be more effective in killing the remaining virus.
• If using disinfecting wipes (such as Clorox or Lysol wipes) remember that to properly disinfect, you should clean only one item at a time, using enough wipes to ensure the surface stays wet for 4 minutes.
• Remember to never mix cleaning products together.
• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in common areas (e.g. tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, phone receivers and keypads, remotes, handles, touchscreens, desks, toilets, sinks, elevator and elevator buttons, etc).
• Clean and disinfect shared electronics and equipment, digital signage, and touch-screen kiosks.

AIR QUALITY AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS

Offices are home to many sources of air contamination, including volatile organic compounds (from cleaning agents, furniture, and other materials), and bacteria, mold, and viruses. Poor ventilation exacerbates the presence of these contaminants.

To maintain healthy indoor environments as you phase employees back into the office, facilities need to concentrate on plumbing, ventilation, and filtration systems that filter, dilute, and remove pathogens.

Using our own experience at Enviroverks, we suggest the following air quality interventions:

• Address indoor air quality issues perceived and actual-in existing buildings
• Conduct air quality assessments, testing, design and provide engineering guidance to improve ventilation effectiveness of existing HVAC systems, support long-term air-quality monitoring, and create air-quality awareness
• Adapt controls and sequencing to accommodate and monitor additional filtration needs, and additional criteria concerning recirculated air systems
• Develop messaging and education for building occupants-dashboards, apps, situational cues-to reduce concerns regarding potential pathogen transmission

SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES IN THE OFFICE

For companies who require on-premise employees, social distancing in the office is required from the start, not just once offices begin to fully reopen. Getting in the habit early will give time to test what method works best for you and your team before everyone comes back to the office.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

Methods to consider for physical distancing: 

1. Limit who comes into the office and when with flexible hours and staggered shifts
2. Use a social distancing desk tool to make it map out what a socially distanced floor plan looks like using only desks 6ft or more apart. Assign or allow people to book their own desks based on what’s available. Determine capacity based on physical distancing accordingly.
3. Either prohibit or keep visitors to a minimum unless absolutely necessary. Prohibit personal packages delivered to the office. For snacks and coffee, and locker use, limit some, if not all, within the office to decrease the number of shared surfaces.
4. Update office design with partitions between desks and social spaces, revised seating arrangements, and directional signage like floor markers for one-way hallways and staircases. 
5. Maintain virtual meetings in the office: Repurpose every conference room into a personal office and/or storage area in the early stages of COVID-6.
6. Touchless entry: Using an access control system, every in-office employee can badge into the building using their phones.

 COMMUNICATION AND SIGNAGE ON COVID-19 IN THE WORKPLACE

They say sunshine is the best disinfectant; in this case, good communication is one of your first and best defences against the physical and emotional aspects of navigating coronavirus. Be prepared to reassure and support employees who may be going through a range of emotions and personal challenges as a result of the virus and containment efforts:

• Provide clear, concise and well-worded updates that are relevant to your location, industry, and current work culture. Communicate in a timely, calm manner.
• Offer channels for support and two-way communication. Create a space for your staff to reach out with their concerns and needs; where possible, make accommodations for specific needs that arise.
• Provide signage around the office that will keep everyone mindful of safety: good respiratory hygiene, cleaning recommendations, social distancing, and symptom checks.

In the event that you need to coordinate some of your company to work from home while others from the office, or eventually, everyone working from home, here are some tips on how to manage that transition:

• Continue to provide clear, concise and well-worded updates that are relevant to your location, industry, current work culture, and overall state of the pandemic. Communicate in a timely, calm manner.
• Make sure technology is consistent across the entire company including communication, video conferencing, project management, and collaboration tools.
• Continue to clean all spaces in the office, shared or not, and push everyone to wipe down their desks and equipment as soon as they’re done for the day. This is especially important if people are sharing spaces and if teams switch off working in the office.
• Provide hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment (PPE) across the office building and make sure everyone knows where to find both in order to mitigate the risk of spreading germs.
• Keep team communication consistent. It’s easy for team collaboration to decrease without face-to-face interaction making it that much more critical that communication is prioritized with daily or weekly posts, emails, and video calls. With that being said, be mindful of how much time you’re taking out of the workday to check-in through video calls.
• Don’t forget to value social and recharge interactions, beyond just “work talk”. Encourage digital get-togethers in the form of team lunches, happy hours, and group downtime via video calls when needed.
• Check-in with your team early and often to gauge what’s working and where people need extra support.
• Promote a work-life balance for everyone, especially working parents. Social distancing requires lots of downtime at home which can result in an unclear blend of work and non-work activities.

Covid-19 Preventive Mechanism: Shall We Improve on Indoor Air Quality(IAQ) or Focus on Sanitisation?

The recent exchange of words between academia and government agencies pertaining to sanitisation is a waste of resources, has become an extreme debate and welcome more responses from Malaysian across all sectors. Both sides are debating two different matters, where Dr. Adeeba is strengthening the use of masks and improving ventilation, which is more on prevention measures while the Fire Department talking about the control mechanism – indoor surface or high-touch point, sanitisation helps Malaysia reduce the risk of cross contamination at indoor spaces and as well in public spaces of the contaminated area. It is not about who is right or wrong, the important point here is we should know what causes the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) and the best ways to prevent the transmission from one person to another.

How does Covid-19 transmit from one person to another?

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can occur through direct, indirect, and/or close contact with infected people through infected secretions such as saliva and/or respiratory secretions or their respiratory droplets, which are expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks or sings. Respiratory droplets are >5-10 μm in diameter where the transmission can occur when a person is in close contact (within 1 metre) with an infected person who has respiratory symptoms (e.g. coughing or sneezing). Meanwhile, airborne transmission is defined as the spread of an infectious agent caused by the dissemination of droplet nuclei (aerosols) that remain infectious when suspended in air over long distances and time. 

On the other hand, respiratory secretions or droplets expelled by infected individuals can contaminate surfaces and objects, creating fomites (contaminated surfaces). Viable SARS-CoV-2 virus and/or RNA detected by RT-PCR can be found on those surfaces for periods ranging from hours to days, depending on the ambient environment (including temperature and humidity) and the type of surfaces.  In an analysis of 75,465 COVID-19 cases in China, 78-85% of clusters occurred within household settings, suggesting that transmission occurs during close and prolonged contact both indoors and outdoors.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)

Emphasis on Prevention Measures: Awareness and Understands the Importance of Good Indoor Air Quality

While many are debating about deep cleaning and sanitisation, the public shall be educated on the risk of poor ventilation which directly increases the risk of infection in crowded and/or confined spaces. As virus-carrying aerosols are exhaled, so too is CO2. As when ventilation is poor, CO2 accumulates along with the virus. WHO recommends a minimum ventilation rate of between 6–12 air changes an hour — in which the entire volume of air in the room is replaced — to prevent airborne transmission of pathogens in healthcare facilities, but a lower rate of air changes for other venues. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) establishes minimum standards for indoor air quality. Recommended targets are as low as 0.35 air changes per hour for homes, 2–3 for offices, 5–6 for schools and 6–12 for hospitals.

During Covid-19 pandemic, it is highly recommended to improve the air circulation and increase the air change rate. In addition, it is recommended to dilute the air with as much fresh air as possible.  For home and office with split units, it is advisable to open the window daily to exhaust the indoor air and replace it with fresh air. Meanwhile, buildings with centralised air conditioning systems increased the fresh air intake to the air handling units but cautions with the increase of relative humidity that may also contribute to the suitable environment for viruses to survive and be transmitted.

Improving the ventilation alone is not enough. Each of us shall be able to remind ourselves to practice 3W which is to wash hands frequently and sanitise, wear masks and warn people who neglect the good practices in preventing the transmission of viruses. Wearing a mask is more effective in preventing the risk of infection in indoor spaces. Recently, the Ministry of Health of Malaysia has recommended wearing a double mask to increase self-protection. We must stay safe and stay protected at all times. 

Sanitisation Practice Is Compulsory When You Fail to Prevent The Transmission: What is The Correct Way?

In a safety point of view, the use of masks ranks the lowest in the hierarchy of controls as the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) because the hazard, which is the virus, still lingers around without us knowing. No doubt improving ventilation is one of the best ways to tackle the pandemic and formation of clusters because it involves engineering control which ranks in the top three of controls of transmission. Let’s put ourselves in the situation, wouldn’t it be better to eliminate the risk of transmission and fortify the area with other controls mentioned above? Since SARS-CoV-2 can be spread through airborne water droplets and direct contact with a contaminated surface, proper sanitisation will provide a safer environment as the risk is temporarily lifted until another person with confirmed positive COVID-19 unknowingly enters the area. 

Now let’s look at the situation from an environmental health point of view, minimising the transmission of infectious diseases is the core function of the public health law. The appropriate exercise of legal powers will vary according to the seriousness of the disease, the means of transmission, and how easily the disease can be spread. Epidemiologically speaking, the transmission triangle consists of the host, the virus and the environment. The host in this case is the human body where we can break the chain by practicing social distancing, provision of face masks, using hand sanitisers and providing vaccinations. What do we do about the virus and the environment? We can either inactivate the virus or make the environment safer, which both can be done by proper sanitisation practice. The word “proper” here is emphasised because improper practices will cause false hope for the public and an unsafe environment. 

This is why the Ministry of Health (KKM) has repeatedly enforced and gives awareness to the public for sanitisation procedures and management. In Appendix 4 of Annex 25 COVID-19: Management Guidelines for Workplaces and Annex 36 Guidelines for Cleaning and Disinfection for Public Places, both had clearly listed the proper procedures from the schedule, planning, equipment to use, clothing to use, ways of preparing the disinfectant until post-care and maintenance of the safe environment. In a nutshell, there is no wrong or right way but a “proper” solution to handle the situation. 

By Salina Hang Jebat

Indoor Environmental Hygienist / Certified IAQ Assessor

Enviro Group Asia delivers the best total solutions in Indoor Environmental Technologies and Engineering Services to ensure a healthier and safer indoor environment. With the single and most game-changing vision of ‘Protecting People, Protecting Assets” by providing a cleaner and healthier indoor environment, Enviro Group Asia has successfully grown from one entity to a group with multiple subsidiaries, all with its own unique specialisations that work hand-in-hand towards the founding vision.

We continue to invest in R&D, in the area of indoor environmental engineering process as we believe continuous learning is the key in order to provide sustainable protection to the public. With 15 years of experience and combined technical expertise of more than 30 years, we pride ourselves on our knowledge and our expertise. We create Partnerships and not clients.

Lets connect today:
support@envirogroup.asia
www.envirogroup.asia
Hotline : +60122108404 

References:

• “Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” World Health Organisation, World Health Organisation, 2020, https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf. Accessed February 2020.

• Lewis, Dyani. “Why indoor spaces are still prime COVID hotspots.” Nature, vol. 592, 2021, pp. 22-25. Nature, https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00810-9.
• “Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: Implications for Infection Prevention Precautions.” World Health Organisation, https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/transmission-of-sars-cov-2-implications-for-infection-prevention-precautions. Accessed 9 July 2020.

Home is Where the heart is.

HealthWay Air Purifiers are promoted on The Star Special, Sunday 23 May 2021 HOME & LIVING. In this article, we have seen an easy way to reduce the risk of airborne transmission of covid-19.

And as it illustrated, we want to make your home a snug and cosy place to unwind with friends and family. You and your loved ones are deserved to enjoy cleaner and healthier air.

What Is an Air Purifier and How Does It Work?

Most home air purifiers use a fan to collect air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to collect pollutants before being recirculated.

These filters might incorporate a charcoal filter, to remove odors, and a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at capturing tiny particles down to 0.3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be portable and used to treat an individual room or it can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving powerful filtration for your entire home.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly lower the concentration of indoor air pollution.

What Should I Look for in an Air Purifier?

• CADR (clean-air delivery rate) rating. This measures the cleaning speed of the purifier for removing smoke, dust, and and pollen. Look for a CADR of at least 300, above 350 is really great.
• Size guidelines. For proper efficacy, you need a model designed to work in the room size. Choose a model that is designed for an area larger than the one you are outfitting it for if you want to operate it at a lower, quieter setting.
• AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) Verified mark. AHAM’s standards are design to ensure the safety, efficiency and performance of many home care appliances, including air purifiers. The standards are designed to provide a common understanding between manufacturers and consumers to help make the purchasing process simpler. While voluntary, most reputable air purifiers have undergone this certification program, which often provides a CADR rating and size guidelines.
• True HEPA filters. True HEPA filters are effective at removing ultra-fine particles (think: dust, dander, pollen, mold and other common allergens in the home). The industry standard for such is that the unit must be able to remove at least 99.97% of particulates measuring 0.3 micron diameter in a lab setting. Remember, it is important to note that in real life settings, the actual efficacy of these devices would be far less as new pollutants are constantly emerging. Note that there is no industry standard for the terms “HEPA-like” or “HEPA-type,” and are mostly used as marketing ploys to get consumers to purchase the product.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ENVIRO Group (@envirogroupasia)