In the public perception of air-borne infections, there is a misconception that, as long as there is ventilation, there is no infection. This perception has led many to relax their vigilance in the face of air-borne diseases, which is far from the case.
Ventilation does play an important role in reducing the risk of air-borne infections. Good ventilation can effectively dilute the concentration of pathogens in air. When indoor air is exchanged with fresh outdoor air, foams or aerosols containing pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and so forth are gradually diluted, thus reducing the likelihood of inhaling a sufficient number of pathogens to cause disease in humans. For example, keeping ventilation in densely populated premises such as school classrooms, offices and so forth can improve air quality to some extent and reduce the risk of transmission of common air-borne bacteria such as influenza viruses.
However, ventilation does not completely eliminate air-borne infections. Some viruses and bacteria have greater viability and transmission properties and can cause infection even in ventilated environments. In the case of the nodules, it can be suspended in the air for long periods and spread as air flows. Even in a well-ventilated environment, where tuberculosis patients stay for long periods and cough, sneeze, etc., release large amounts of bacterial foam, people around them are likely to inhale and become infected. The risk of infection remains high, especially in cases of inadequate ventilation systems or inadequate ventilation.
Moreover, the effects of ventilation are constrained by a number of factors. Ventilation time is a key factor. If only a short ventilation, such as just a few minutes of window opening, the contribution to reducing the concentration of pathogens may be minimal. For example, in cold winters, some people only occasionally open windows for a little while, which makes it difficult to ensure that indoor air remains at low pathogens concentrations. In some special places, such as hospital isolation wards, infectious disease wards, etc., the requirements for ventilation are more stringent, requiring not only continuous ventilation, but also efficient air filtration and purification, and general ventilation measures fall far short of the need to prevent the transmission of pathogens.
Ventilation is also important. Natural ventilation is more affected by the weather, the direction of buildings, the surrounding environment, etc. If outdoor air is of poor quality, such as fog weather, proximity to industrial contaminated areas, open window ventilation may instead introduce more pollutants and pathogens, increasing the risk of infection. Mechanical ventilation systems may also be an accomplice to the transmission of pathogens if they are poorly designed and not maintained in a timely manner. For example, ventilated pipes have not been cleaned for a long time, with bacteria, fungus and other micro-organisms that, when the air passes, spread to the interior, causing respiratory infections and other diseases.
In addition, some highly contagious viruses, such as the new coronary virus, are highly contagious. Even in a better-ventilated environment, it is still easy to spread when people are dense and effective protective measures, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance. Because ventilation does not prevent the spread of close-range foam, when the infected person is in close contact with another person, it can enter the other person ‘ s respiratory tract and lead to infection.
The air-borne infection is not just air-ventilating. Ventilation is only one important part of preventing air-borne infections, but it is by no means the only determining factor. In our daily lives, in addition to maintaining a good ventilation environment, we should combine personal protection measures, such as the proper wearing of masks during an outbreak or during the high-prevalence flu season, hand-washing and regular clean-up of the indoor environment, with attention to a number of factors, such as the quality and duration of ventilation, in order to be more effective in reducing the risk of air-borne infections and protecting the health of ourselves and others.
