COVID-19 Guidance: Ventilation, HVAC Systems and COVID-19 Risks

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Colorado. Department of Public Health and Environment
• Description:
  COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person to person, primarily through respiratory droplets (larger particles) produced when a person coughs, sneezes, talks and sings. 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 eyes, nose or mouth. In addition to close contact with infected people and contaminated surfaces, there is the possibility that the spread of COVID-19 may also occur through airborne particles in indoor environments (particularly in those with poor ventilation). An important approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air contaminants including any viruses that may be in the air is to increase ventilation by increasing the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. Ensuring proper ventilation with outside air can help reduce the concentration of airborne contaminants, including viruses. However, by itself, increasing ventilation is not enough to protect people from COVID-19. When used along with other best practices recommended by CDC and others, increasing ventilation can be part of a plan to protect people indoors. Managing a building's Heating Ventilation And Cooling system and other methods of increasing ventilation indoors can play a role as part of a plan to minimize COVID-19 transmission risk. However, it should not be relied on as the only plan - it should be recognized that other infection control practices are likely to play larger roles in COVID-19 prevention. The most effective ways to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission are to: 1. Stay home if you are sick. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Follow CDC's what to do if you are sick to prevent giving the virus to others. 2. Cover your face and nose with a face covering when in public and around others - even if you do not think you are sick. 3. Practice social/physical distancing: limit close contact with others by remaining at least 6 ft or more away at all times. Avoid physical interactions (shaking hands, hugs, etc.) and sharing items with others (e.g., pens, computers, tools). 4. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol often, especially after touching common, high-touch surfaces (e.g., door handles, elevator buttons). 5. Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Occupational Health Safety Ventilation Viral Diseases
• Keywords:
  COVID-19 Disease Transmission Indoor Environments Infection Control Ventilation Systems Viral Diseases
• Publisher:
  Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Guidance
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068319
• Citation:
  Denver, CO: Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, 2020 Sep; :1-7
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  Colorado State Department of Public Health & Environment
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20150701
• Source Full Name:
  COVID-19 guidance: ventilation, HVAC systems and COVID-19 risks
• End Date:
  20210630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bb586f63c4ed0d042cb417d05d97cf480d40b4e70a9c8fc4e3b6944ea61c7718b781408ce0c7857b1187524a7c54c4ff019225c043617cd954cda9887eff88f7
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230492/cdc_230492_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 174.61 KB ]