How Air Purifiers Can Help During Cold and Flu Season
Outbreaks of seasonal flu occur every year. This year the seasonal flu has demonstrated its virulent nature especially for the young and elderly. Now a new virus from China, the Coronavirus, is threatening a widespread outbreak. 
Background
- Transmission of the flu virus is spread person-to-person by airborne droplets expelled from the respiratory tract of an infected person during coughing or sneezing.
- Most droplets created by coughing or sneezing are relatively large (over 5 microns), and most travel only a short distance of 3-6 feet before settling out of the air and onto surrounding surfaces.
- Transmission can also take place through sub-micron droplets (droplet nuclei) which may remain suspended for longer periods of time and be transported over longer distances.
- The highest risk of transmission is through the direct inhalation of these droplets and occurs when in close proximity to infected individuals, who sneeze and cough.
- Another source of transmission is when droplets settle on surfaces and contaminate them. We touch these surfaces and then touch our mouth, nose or eyes and spread the virus.
What Can You Do?
There are common practices to adopt to help keep yourself and others from getting sick.
- Cover coughs and sneezes to prevent droplets from spreading
- Wash hands often. To stop the spread of a virus from these sources hand washing is essential.
- It is helpful to avoid close contact where people congregate. It is also helpful to avoid crowed indoor environments.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth since germs spread this way.
- Stay home when sick
- Clean surfaces and objects routinely
How Can You Improve Your Home’s Health
Since people with the flu typcially can infect others 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick, what additional steps can you take to protect yourself and your family.
- Practice personal hygiene as outlined above, if soap and water are not available, it is important to use alcohol based hand rubs
- Clean surfaces and objects routinely especially toys
- Use high temperature wash for your dishwasher. If hand washing kitchen utensils, wash thoroughly with soapy water and rinse thoroughly
- Consider a high performance air purifier
The IQAir’s HyperHepa Filter captures and traps small and ultra-small particles, including viruses, bacteria, allergens and sub-micron sized dust. IQAir air purification system provides clean air and peace of mind.
Considerations for a Air Purifier
When considering an air purifier, it is important to consider the size of the particles captured and retained. Many purifiers on the market today do not capture particles as small as viruses. Competitors claim to clean particles of 0.3 microns. However, less than 10% of all air born particles is this big. Ninety percent of all air born particles in a room is smaller than 0.3 microns. Other air purifiers are missing 90 % of the particles. Viruses are usually 30 times smaller than 0.3 microns. The IQAir filters down to 0.003 microns in size. In fact, it achieves a total system performance of 99.5% clean air returned to the room.
Take control of your Home’s health and the health of your family. For more information on our line of IQAir purifiers, visit our products page.
