Check out 91-divoc.com to view Coronavirus data from around the globePut away the “Mission Accomplished” banner; we are still just at the beginning of COVID-19’s spread through the US. As tired as we may be of the disease, we cannot simply quit and hope for herd immunity. As much as 60 to 70% of a population (200 million in the US!) must become infected before herd immunity occurs. And as of June 24th, 2020, there have been around 2.4 million total confirmed cases, with 121,000 deaths. Infecting 60 to 70% of the population for herd immunity would wreak havoc on our hospital systems and result in hundreds of thousands more deaths (minimum).
We hope for vaccines and treatments, but don’t forget that we already have an effective tool in the fight against airborne disease transmission…fresh air! Studies of seasonal flu transmission have shown that increasing fresh air ventilation to 40 cfm (40 cubic feet of fresh air per minute) can reduce your chance of infection by 40%. That’s approximately the same effectiveness as the flu vaccine! To learn more, check out our March newsletter Fighting COVID-19 with Fresh Air.
States that did not take face covering / social distancing guidelines seriously and reopened early are now facing huge surges of COVID-19 cases. On the other hand, states like Illinois are strategically re-opening businesses while keeping cases low.Awareness of fresh air’s importance continues to grow. The New York Times recently profiled Professor Linsey Marr of Virginia Tech University, an expert in airborne disease transmission and someone who’s work we have been citing in our articles.
Build Equinox is closely following the pandemic, and working to minimize its impact in our homes, communities, and the world. We are on the front lines of Covid-19 simulation modeling, and will continue to bring updated information to our newsletter audience.
Build Equinox’s recommended SARS-CoV-2 reduction guidelines from our May newsletter article are reprinted below. Our March Covid-19 newsletter article provides background on airborne disease transmission. April’s Covid-19 article discusses Covid-19 spread and the concept of an “Infection Parameter” which characterizes the impact of social distancing.
Build Equinox Covid-19 Recommendations
Effective ventilation should be on the frontline of defense to protect our homes, schools, and businesses from Covid-19. Current ventilation practices do not provide sufficient protection against disease transmission.
For homes, business, and public gathering places:
