Skip to main content

Table 5 Recommendations on the ventilation and air-conditioning measures to prevent COVID-19 infection

From: Environmental factors involved in SARS-CoV-2 transmission: effect and role of indoor environmental quality in the strategy for COVID-19 infection control

Spaces

Recommendation

Every indoor space

• Enough ventilation is necessary to prevent COVID-19 infection.

• Opening windows is effective for ventilation and opening them wide and for a longer time is desirable.

• In summer, air conditioners are necessary to prevent health risks such as heatstroke, etc.

• General air conditioners do not function as ventilators, so mechanical ventilation and opening windows are necessary.

• When opening windows, it is necessary to prevent harmful insects and animals from coming in.

Spaces in which air conditioning and ventilation systems are installed

• It is necessary to check the systems and to confirm enough ventilation rates are secured.

• It is necessary to limit the number of persons in a room or shorten the time they are inside secure enough ventilation rates per person.

• It is necessary to investigate what the building is used for, how often it is used, what kind of air-conditioning and ventilation system is used in the building when taking such measures as the better control of air-conditioning and ventilation systems, or the use of air cleaners, and the use of humidifiers in winter.

  1. Abbreviation: COVID-19 coronavirus disease 2019