Air Conditioning & Coronavirus - What you need to know
There isn't really a straight yes or no answer at the moment, as this is an unprecedented situation in so many different ways.
We do know however that it depends on the size of the particles that your air conditioner can filter out as to whether some diseases can be spread this way - for example, cruise ship air conditioners recycle can't filter out particles smaller than 5,000 nanometers and an illness such as SARS is around 120 nanometers. Although scientists are unsure of the exact size of COVID-19, if it is roughly the same size as SARS, cruise ship aircon units will have spread the disease throughout the entire ship.
On the flipside, airline companies such as Etihad are stating that ' ...the risk is considered lower on aircraft because of the use of high efficiency particulate air filters, which are effective in capturing more than 99 per cent of airborne microbes in filtered air. '
Experts have suggested that to minimise harmful situations like that on cruise ships, the use of outside air (as opposed to recirculating it) is a good alternative.
Evidence that low temperature and humidity in air conditioned environments may enhance the survival of coronaviruses such as SARS.
So, what does this mean for you at home? It is very important to inspect and review the air conditioning and ventilation systems within your home to reduce to the risk of environmental exposure, so speak to your local air conditioning expert as to servicing and maintenance options they can assist with. They can look at the filtering options, the humidity choices and temperature settings to ensure your system is set up to suit your needs and look out for your health.
Ensuring we are all safe and healthy is so important at the moment, so ensuring your air conditioner is running exactly as it should be is another step in looking after yourself and family. Give All Purpose Air Conditioning a call on 1300 405 295 if you need some further assistance.
Resources:
Daily Mail (Coronavirus could be spread by air-conditioning and may be more contagious than previously thought, scientists believe after finding traces of the virus in hospital air-duct): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8086457/Coronavirus-spread-air-conditioning-contagious-previously-thought.html
Australian Government - Department of Health (Coronavirus): https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/03/coronavirus-covid-19-information-on-social-distancing.pdf