Efficacy of Ventilation, HEPA Air Cleaners, Universal Masking, and Physical Distancing for Reducing Exposure to Simulated Exhaled Aerosols in a Meeting Room

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 13; no. 12; p. 2536
• Main Authors: Coyle, Jayme P, Derk, Raymond C, Lindsley, William G, Blachere, Francoise M, Boots, Theresa, Lemons, Angela R, Martin, Jr, Stephen B, Mead, Kenneth R, Fotta, Steven A, Reynolds, Jeffrey S, McKinney, Walter G, Sinsel, Erik W, Beezhold, Donald H, Noti, John D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 17.12.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Aerosols; Air Conditioning; Air Pollution, Indoor - prevention & control; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Disease transmission; Foreign exchange rates; HEPA air cleaner; Humans; HVAC; Indoor environments; indoor exposure; Infections; Infectious diseases; Inhalation Exposure - prevention & control; Masks; Mechanical ventilation; Physical Distancing; Respiration; Respiratory Aerosols and Droplets - virology; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; universal masking; Vaccination; Ventilation; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; SARS-CoV-2; indoor exposure; physical distancing; universal masking; HEPA air cleaner; ventilation

There is strong evidence associating the indoor environment with transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 can spread by exposure to droplets and very fine aerosol particles from respiratory fluids that are released by infected persons. Layered mitigation strategies, inc...