After three long years, the pandemic shows no signs of abating. Unfortunately, public resistance and fatigue against Covid-19 interventions and restrictions is at an all-time high. Even China, once considered a leader in controlling the virus, has quickly scrapped its mitigation strategy.
But make no mistake, Covid-19 still poses a clear and present danger. Research shows that two or more re-infections of Covid-19 double the risk of death, blood clots, and lung damage, among other negative health outcomes.
The risk of cardiovascular events was found to increase by 4.5% up to 12 months after infection, regardless of age, race, sex, obesity, smoking or other factors. In addition, the latest wave of infections is fueled by new variants that evade immunity from previous vaccinations and infections.
The good news is that we still have powerful prevention tools. In fact, there are little-used strategies that do not require behavioral changes or restrictions, that can be used anywhere, and will also help protect us from other airborne viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza.
It is necessary to invest more in basic measures such as ventilation, air filtration and ultraviolet germicidal light, and accelerate the exploration of new discoveries, such as the potential of using aerosol acidity levels to kill certain airborne viruses.
Vaccines are very effective at reducing the risk of death and serious illness, but they are generally ineffective at preventing transmission. Wearing masks has become highly politicized and stigmatized in many Western countries, with some health workers even refusing to wear them.
But virus-carrying aerosols can remain in the air for hours after being released, making it difficult to judge what is considered a high-risk situation. Because of all these factors, the best way to reduce the risk of transmission is to reduce the concentration of the virus in the air available for breathing in the first place.
We must challenge the general attitude that considers the spread of airborne pathogens in indoor spaces as an inevitable part of our daily lives. Unlike our ancestors, we spend almost 90% of our time indoors. For decades, governments around the world have invested heavily in food safety, sanitation, and clean drinking water – all to protect public health.
In developed countries, food and waterborne diseases have been largely eliminated through a combination of research, legislation, the development of competent public health agencies, and infrastructure funding. Why don’t we give equal priority to achieving clean, pathogen-free air in public and private spaces?
Fighting pathogens before they can infect us requires a multipronged strategy. Professional engineering bodies will need to develop comprehensive ventilation standards, and new measures will be needed to ensure that these standards are met.
That means creating a regulatory body to oversee monitoring and enforcement, not only for new construction but also in the retrofitting of existing buildings. To that end, the government should help provide specialized training for building operators and owners. The goal for all buildings is to recirculate the air supply from the occupied spaces at a rate of at least six air changes per hour.
This may seem like an overwhelming task. But improvements can be rolled out gradually, and strategically, in different sectors. The immediate priority is to ensure pathogen-free air in hospitals and healthcare settings, to protect vulnerable patients, and on airplanes, to stop the rapid spread of new variants around the world.
After that, our focus should shift to public transportation, including trains and buses, and then to offices, schools, and daycare facilities. In addition to preventing viral transmission, better ventilated areas have been shown to improve children’s cognitive performance and reduce illness-related absences. Finally, we have to deal with the ventilation in the house and residential building.
Critics of the proposal will cite up-front costs as a barrier. But even the average flu season is known to cost the United States $11.2 billion, as a result of absenteeism and reduced productivity. According to a Brookings Institution report of August 2022, the duration of Covid may “keep up to four million people out of work” in the US, at an annual cost of $170 billion to $230 billion a year in lost wages.
Having a workforce that is repeatedly sick means we receive continuous disruption across all industries. But this is not sustainable. Parents are tired and overwhelmed by the “tripledemic” (influenza, RSV, and Covid-19) that has torn apart schools and daycares.
Beyond the immediate financial costs, the trauma and turmoil caused by the pandemic make it clear that investing in pathogen-free indoor air is not only the most economical choice but also the most ethical. Like any other effective investment in public health, this one will pay for itself. — © Project Syndicate