How air conditioning can help during the Coronavirus crisis

Published: January 11, 2022

Generally thought to spread to others by coughing or sneezing when in close contact, or by contact with contaminated hands, surfaces or objects, studies by the World Health Organisation also suggest that COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus SARS-CoV-2, may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days.

With a diverse arsenal of ways to spread, it has been found in feces, sweat and in the large droplets expelled by coughs. Although these droplets only travel for a short distance before succumbing to gravity, the droplets can then linger on tables, doors and equipment.

Is COVID-19 airborne?

According to a study published in the print edition in the peer-reviewed The New England Journal of Medicine this week from scientists at Princeton University, UCLA and the National Institutes of Health, airborne transmission is “plausible."

The scientists found that SARS-CoV-2, was detectable in the air for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. For those reasons, officials recommend washing hands, cleaning surfaces and “social distancing” in public spaces.

According to a recent study by NCID researchers, the virus COVID-19 could be found in isolation facilities - including in air ducts connected to the room of people who are infected. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on March 18, 2020, the findings show that a COVID-19 patient with mild symptoms could cause extensive environmental contamination in an isolation room, before it was cleaned. The study also suggested that “small virus-laden droplets may be displaced by airflows and deposited on equipment such as vents.”

Coronavirus and your home

Air conditioners can harbour a variety of organisms such as mould, mildew, fungi, bacteria and human DNA (skin cells), if not regularly cleaned. Air circulating around your home is beneficial, but an air conditioning system that isn’t regularly cleaned could negate the benefits. Cleaning your air conditioning will help you stay healthier, and needs to be done by a professional. Additionally, it will also save you money as the unit will run more effectively.

How air conditioning can help if you have coronavirus

Your home should be considered a safe haven, which is why it’s important that it is a reasonable temperature to help you recuperate if you contract Coronavirus. If your home is too cold or too warm it can impact your symptoms and make them worse. For instance, if you have a fever, having a ducted air conditioned zone controlled room is an advantage, as you can set the room temperature to whatever is comfortable while the rest of the house stays at a standard temperature. To manage symptoms, being comfortable is extremely important.

Air conditioning can also affect getting a good night’s sleep to help with your recovery from Coronavirus. Sleep settings on your AC can also be very helpful when you or your loved one is sick, because it will maintain a constant temperature throughout your home. Or simply have your air conditioning on throughout the night to maintain a constant temperature, for the best night’s sleep possible.

Whatever your situation during the Coronavirus crisis, a clean air conditioning system will benefit you, your family and the entire planet now and into the future. Enlist the help of an air conditioning specialist with experience in all aspects of air conditioning installation, repairs and maintenance today.

References: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/alerts/Pages/coronavirus-faqs.aspx#1-3