Air Purifiers and the COVID-19 Virus: Do They Help?
2020 will be a year to forget for many people around the world. The Coronavirus pandemic has upturned normal life for billions of people. At the time of writing, new lockdowns are coming into force to deal with the dreaded second wave in the UK and Europe.
But many people are now heading back to work, and children are in school, which means people are looking for ways to stay better protected from COVID-19. One key question is whether air purifiers can play a role, so let’s take a look at this.
Lack of Clinical Testing
Air purifiers have long been used in a wide range of settings where cleaner air is needed. The types of air purifiers vary, but many of them can clean a wide range of pollutants from the air and can even filter out viruses.
Could they therefore be effective against the COVID-19 virus?
Quite possibly. However, due to the rapid spread of the virus around the world, most equipment has not been clinically tested against this virus yet, so this is an important consideration to keep in mind.
While there is a lack of clinical testing specifically for COVID-19, many top air purifiers do provide protection against viruses, so they may be worth considering in homes and offices. However, they should be used alongside other prevention strategies such as hand sanitisation and social distancing.
How Air Cleaners Work
There are different types of technology used in air cleaners to make them effective. Some contain Hepa filtration, which involves a very dense filter that catches most contaminants in the air. This is the case with the 270E air purifiers, which use a patented HEPA silent technology to capture 99.97% of particles in the air right down to 0.1 microns (100 nanometres) in size.
Others like the Airdog X5 use Ionic Wind Technology, and these are capable of filtering out the tiniest particles right down to 14 nanometres. To put this into perspective, a virus can range from about 20 to 400 nanometres in size.
UV sterilisation rays are also used in models like the MEDI 25 Dustblocker. These models use technology like plasma ionisers plates.
See our full range of air purifiers for hire to find a selection of different types of air cleaners for all purposes. Our Air Cleaners FAQS section also has useful information.
Are Air Purifiers Effective at Preventing Viruses?
It’s not clear whether using an air purifier alone will provide protection from COVID-19. But when it is used with other techniques, it may be part of an effective plan.
Air purifiers and air cleaners are very effective at cleaning air. Their job is to filter contaminants or pollutants from the air, and they can help to reduce particles in the air that contain viruses. Portable air purifiers might therefore be useful in places where ventilation is not ideal.
Consider Air Purification for Your Building
While many air purifiers have not been clinically tested for providing protection from COVID-19, some models have been shown to filter particles containing viruses from the air. Contact us today to find out more about our range of air purifiers and we’ll be happy to answer all your questions.