When it comes to helping rid hospitals of various air of pollutants, more specifically airborne viruses, what can be done? By implementing HVAC system measures such as ventilation, filtration and the addition of advanced air-cleaning technologies, engineering professionals strive to drive a wedge between building occupants and the (really-really) small airborne droplet nuclei aerosols which transport viruses, those that when inhaled can result in the transmission of disease. The HVAC system can’t do much to stop someone from coughing or sneezing in your face, or to prohibit a person from touching contaminated surfaces, but through proper design it can certainly help remediate issues with the “small stuff” in the air that is of respiratory concern. Traditional HVAC ventilation and filtration can be made more effective with an advanced air-cleaning technique used in industrial and pharmaceutical cleanrooms which positively (+) and negatively (-) charges the particulates and other pollutants in the air, making them like tiny “magnets” which stick-together (agglomerate), becoming bigger and easier to move and filter from the air. This process is called “ionization” and because it makes HVAC air filters more effective, studies have shown it to also improve the efficacy of personal face masks (filters) worn by patients and staff in healthcare settings. While physically distancing ourselves from one another is important, the HVAC system can be also be used as a method to help keep people and airborne viral particles apart.
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