Research scientist Dr Chunli Cao (PhD, CEng, Fellow of CBISE, MIMech) explains transmission of COVID-19 and the importance of Air Filtration
What are the routes of transmission of the novel coronavirus?
• COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person in respiratory droplets from someone who is infected. People who are infected often have symptoms of illness. Some people who show no signs of illness may also be able to spread the virus. ‘COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning about how it spreads and the severity of illness it causes’ – CDC (Centre of Disease Control)
Person-to-person spread
• Current understanding about how the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads is largely based on what is known about similar coronaviruses. Person-to-person spread. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet [1.8 metres])
• Via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
• How easily a virus spreads from person-to-person can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious, like measles. Another factor is whether the spread is sustained, which means it goes from person-to-person without stopping.
• The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading very easily and sustainably between people. Information from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suggest that this virus is spreading more efficiently than influenza.
Spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects • It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html
Can the coronavirus aerosol be contained or cleansed?
• Government studies in the UK and USA conclude that air purification is key to containing aerosol transmission. The DNO catalyst filters we use at Purer Clean Air® eliminates airborne pollutants, bacteria and viruses completely.
• A paper regarding aerosol transmission was released by ASHREA in April 2020 has emphasised that distributed air purification is the route to better purification of air. Their conclusions about aerosol transmission regarding COVID-19 are below:
When appropriately selected and deployed, single-space high-efficiency filtration units (either ceiling mounted or portable) can be highly effective in reducing/lowering concentrations of infectious aerosols in a single space. They also achieve directional airflow source control that provides exposure protection at the patient bedside.
Statement on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the air is sufficiently likely that airborne exposure to the virus should be controlled. Changes to building operations, including the operation of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems, can reduce airborne exposures.
• All Purer Clean Air® purifiers are 3rd party tested.
- COVID-19 is a coronavirus. Commercial labs are currently not allowed to use COVID-19 in test labs.
- To mitigate this scientists use other strains of coronavirus to test COVID-19 kill rates for air purifiers.
- We have had our units tested by the worlds leading virus testing facility SGS of Switzerland.
- SGS test our units vs the H1N1 coronavirus, this is a smaller particle than COVID-19.
- H1N1 size is 0.08 microns, COVID-19 size is 0.12 microns.
- Our filters can kill particles as small as 0.003 microns.
- Our air purifiers kill rate for coronavirus is 99.99%.
- We have also had our product tested against the human strain of coronavirus HCoV-229E.
You can view and download our certification for the H1N1 coronavirus here:
You can view and download our certification for the HCoV-229E coronavirus here:
• Our Medical Grade DNO filter technology sets us apart from our competitors. We use patented innovative new technology that captures, kills and converts pollutants, bacteria and viruses.
• This technology is called D-orbital Nano Oxide DNO multi-functional Pollution Removal Technology. DNO is the most advanced technology on the market, combined with High performance Filters (HEPA), it can remove and kill pollutants, bacteria, viruses and even some of the smallest pollutant particles from the air.
• Yes – this includes the COVID-19 Virus. In fact, the filters capture, kill and convert particulate matter even smaller than the COVID-19 virus!!
• Our Medical Grade Integrated high-quality DNO filter with five layers traps particles via the primary layer, high-efficiency layers and nano-catalyst layers.
• Whether it is large particles such as floating dust in the air, or small micron-level harmful substances including bacteria and viruses, it can all be effectively captured and killed by our filters.
• The high-efficiency DNO Catalyst in the filter element decomposes various harmful gases such as Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Ozone, bacteria, virus (including COVID-19), formaldehyde, odour from tobacco and alcohol.
• Our filter performance is more than 8 times that of ordinary activated carbon filters. Any gas pollutants, bacteria, viruses and micron-level particulates will be captured by the HEPA 13 filter and then killed and converted by the DNO catalyst filters into invisible and harmless water, carbon dioxide and Oxygen!
• Many of our competitor air purification brands will capture contaminants but not convert the pollutants. This means if a virus or bacteria is still living when a filter is cleaned or changed, the pollutant may transfer to the user or be released back into the atmosphere.
• Some competitor air purification systems will capture and convert the contaminant but can cause harmful pollutants such as viruses and Ozone to be released back into the atmosphere.
• Our Medical Grade Filters Capture, Kill and Convert using DNO Technology – The safe way to get Purer Clean Air®!!
• Our colleagues in China are helping the effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 50 units of the HA800 Air Purifier have been gifted to front line hospitals to provide clean, safe and virus free air.
• The HA800 Units were gifted to hospitals in the Shandong Province with the highest number of A&E admissions.
• The dedicated work of the medical staff has seen the rate of infection in patients and staff decrease to their lowest rates. We are proud that our Air Purifier filter technology is supporting the medical teams at such a difficult time. Our UK team are offering the same support to the NHS.