Vent-Axia welcomes BMJ editorial on ventilation reducing Covid-transmission

With pubs, restaurants, gyms, offices and other businesses beginning to reopen, businesses should ensure they are checking and improving their ventilation. The vital importance of good ventilation in helping reduce transmission of Covid-19 has been highlighted once again in new advice published in an editorial in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) ‘Covid-19 has redefined airborne transmission’.

According to experts in the editorial, any future attempts to reduce the spread of Covid-19 should be focused on tackling close airborne transmission of the virus which is considered to be the primary route for its circulation.

Ventilation industry leader Vent-Axia welcomes this latest advice, which adds to the raft of evidence and guidance that supports ventilation as key to making indoor spaces safer. The BMJ editorial also shares other business benefits that come from improving ventilation: indoor air quality will improve for businesses, reducing sick leave for other respiratory viruses as well as helping those with allergies. Lower absenteeism and improved productivity could save costs for companies, which in turn would offset the cost of a ventilation upgrade. The editorial also recognises the likelihood that Covid-19 may become a seasonal virus like the flu and so any improvements in ventilation will be beneficial in both the long and short term.

Jenny Smith, head of marketing at Vent-Axia, said: “Ventilating for longer and opting for ventilation with higher airflow volumes will help reduce the risk. At Vent-Axia our knowledgeable ventilation consultants can offer advice on the most suitable ventilation for each setting to help make buildings Covid-secure. We also have an excellent spares department to help ensure any existing ventilation is in full working order.”

The editorial published in the BMJ is backed up by the Government’s guidance, published in early March, ‘Ventilation of indoor spaces to stop the spread of coronavirus’ which explains how coronavirus is spread and the vital role ventilation plays in reducing the risk of catching the virus. In addition to opening windows and doors, it details the importance of making sure any mechanical ventilation is working properly and that ventilation systems should be set to bring fresh air in and not recirculate indoor air. It states that in workplaces, clear guidance on ventilation should be provided to all employees and that ventilation should be considered as part of making your workplace or indoor public space Covid-secure.

Vent-Axia’s body of essential information is consolidated in a useful guide called ‘The Effect of Ventilation on COVID-19’ and a companion webpage https://www.vent-axia.com/dilutethevirus, which gives practical advice on how indoor ventilation is important to reduce virus transmission.