Air Conditioning and Covid-19: the Risks Involved

Air Conditioning and Covid-19 Friend

Air conditioning seems to be the best ally against the high summer temperatures. The reality is quite different: it harms our health. Air conditioning was born in 1902 and was designed by Mr. Willis Haviland Carrier.

By ventilating the premises in a closed room, we achieve a constant atmosphere (temperature, humidity with the help of devices).

With the arrival of fine weather, everyone, whether individuals or businesses, uses air conditioning. We condition the air in offices, cars, and even in some homes. Air treatment modifies, controls, and regulates climatic conditions, namely temperature, humidity, and dust levels. You may ask yourself the following question: can we use air conditioning during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Maintaining ambient temperature at a given degree has harmful consequences for individuals. In addition to having negative effects on our health, it can also spread the coronavirus.

Can air conditioning spread the Coronavirus?

Air conditioning can spread the Coronavirus

Let's take the example of Diamond Princess

The situation is catastrophic for these few passengers who live in a completely closed, air-conditioned environment. There is an overload of contamination on board the cruise ship Diamond Princess in the port of Yokohama (Japan).

The count of individuals infected with Covid-19 is increasing significantly day by day. The progression of the coronavirus is alarming. New precautions must be taken to isolate and protect passengers.

LLRedac emphasizes that on board this cruise ship, nearly 221 people have been infected, including 6 in catastrophic condition and 1 infected French person.

Air conditioning dries the air, making it harmful to health. Throughout the pandemic, three types of coronaviruses have been present.

 

The coronavirus is a virus that can manifest in three ways:

• coronavirus mutation phase,
• reinfection dilemma,
• a study has proven the existence of three types of coronaviruses in the world,

 

The virus goes through a phase of genetic changes.

Once Covid-19 penetrates the body, it seeks the cell mechanisms to multiply. With each reproduction, the viruses multiply. In this context of air conditioning usage, fear is a normal feeling. Thus, air conditioning spreads the coronavirus. Air conditioning is on everyone's mind, especially in nursing homes. Air conditioning during the coronavirus is used to respond to high heat in nursing homes.

Is air conditioning during Covid-19 in nursing homes really a solution to this problem?

We think that experts contradict each other, and minds are only heating up and becoming tense.

All specialized care facilities for the elderly, such as Ehpads and nursing homes, use air conditioning.

LLRedac reminds you of the difference between an Ehpads and a nursing home.

Ehpads accommodate dependent and independent elderly individuals, while non-medicalized nursing homes do not take care of dependent elderly individuals because their staffing resources would not allow them to provide proper care.

The current trend in nursing homes and Ehpads is air conditioning.

This device is systematically implemented each year due to the high temperatures that can lead to deaths. This issue is irreversible, and all facility directors refuse to invest in air conditioning.

Thus, professionals suffer greatly from heat and believe that nursing homes should be air-conditioned when lifting and supporting elderly individuals as the caregivers move around.

For a long time, especially in 2003 due to the intense heat waves, air conditioning has been used in nursing homes and Ehpads.

Therefore, during the confinement period due to Covid-19, we do not recommend air conditioning.

Recent Cases of Covid-19 Contamination

Recent Coronavirus Contamination Case at a Restaurant

You will be shocked by this recent incident. A city in southern China called Guangzhou, a major port city northeast of Hong Kong, was the victim of a Covid-19 contamination case.

Air conditioning significantly increases droplets among customers.

It all started with a lunch at a restaurant in the morning, accompanied by three family members.

The next day, this same family had lunch in an air-conditioned restaurant without windows.

Two other families sat nearby, ensuring they were 1 meter apart.

The three families found themselves in the same restaurant for 1 hour.

A first patient, very feverish, was contaminated with a severe cough issue. Later that day, he went to the hospital, and his condition worsened due to the air conditioning. The symptoms were revealing and early signs of the coronavirus.

Within a few weeks, four other members of his family were infected. Three other members of the second family and two from the third family became seriously ill.

Aerosols follow air currents and can cause the spread to other parts of the restaurant.

Consequently, the goal is to reduce the risk of infection, and we suggest maximizing the distance between tables and monitoring the air conditioning.

Recent Coronavirus Contamination Case in the Office and Open Space

We are witnessing a rise in coronavirus cases in the office.

Currently, the issue of Covid-19 transmission related to air conditioning is very concerning. The virus is transmitted through respiratory secretion droplets from an infected individual dispersed by coughing. In an office, the WHO (World Health Organization) strongly recommends keeping more than one meter away from an infected person.

The risk also lies in several objects that have been frequently touched by colleagues. It is essential to start with elevator buttons, doorknobs, and restrooms. There are also severe contamination cases in Open Spaces. If you are placed within less than a meter of a colleague and stay for more than two hours, you could be contaminated. Moreover, if you frequently cough, the risk of contamination is significant.

Recent Coronavirus Contamination Case in the Cafeteria

When an employee dines in the cafeteria, there is a significant risk of spreading. The cafeteria is a high-risk area and remains a place frequented by many people. LLRedac recommends thoroughly washing your hands before dining and after the meal to avoid the spread of Covid-19. Also, be aware that sharing cigarettes with a colleague in an air-conditioned office is a contamination risk.

Thus, air conditioning is harmful in our society, especially during the coronavirus period.

Installing air conditioning in health facilities, businesses, and restaurants promotes and increases the presence of the coronavirus.

We do not advise you to go to your workplace. Always consider maintaining a distance of 4 meters to avoid its spread.

If you can or if you are looking for a job, adopt a profession that would preferably align with your previous training and experiences, prioritizing remote work.