How can airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors be minimised?

Abstract

During the rapid rise in COVID-19 illnesses and deaths globally, and notwithstanding recommended precautions, questions are voiced about routes of transmission for this pandemic disease. Inhaling small airborne droplets is probable as a third route of infection, in addition to more widely recognized transmission via larger respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected people or contaminated surfaces. While uncertainties remain regarding the relative contributions of the different transmission pathways, we argue that existing evidence is sufficiently strong to warrant engineering controls targeting airborne transmission as part of an overall strategy to limit infection risk indoors. Appropriate building engineering controls include sufficient and effective ventilation, possibly enhanced by particle filtration and air disinfection, avoiding air recirculation and avoiding overcrowding. Often, such measures can be easily implemented and without much cost, but if only they are recognised as significant in contributing to infection control goals. We believe that the use of engineering controls in public buildings, including hospitals, shops, offices, schools, kindergartens, libraries, restaurants, cruise ships, elevators, conference rooms or public transport, in parallel with effective application of other controls (including isolation and quarantine, social distancing and hand hygiene), would be an additional important measure globally to reduce the likelihood of transmission and thereby protect healthcare workers, patients and the general public.

Keywords

Affiliated Institutions

• University of Leicester GB
• Chinese Academy of Sciences CN
• Pennsylvania State University US
• Università degli studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale IT
• University of Cambridge GB
• Tallinn University of Technology EE
• Queensland University of Technology AU
• University of Hong Kong HK
• Virginia Tech US
• Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research ES
• Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences US
• Lund University SE
• Edinburgh Napier University GB
• University of Colorado Boulder US
• Papworth Hospital GB
• Politecnico di Milano IT
• Delft University of Technology NL
• UNSW Sydney AU
• Eindhoven University of Technology NL
• NHS Lanarkshire GB

Related Publications