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Source: http://7thspace.com/headlines/431778...e_schools.html
Predictors of indoor absolute humidity and estimated effects on influenza virus survival in grade schools
Low absolute humidity (AH) has been associated with increased influenza virus survival and transmissibility and the onset of seasonal influenza outbreaks. Humidification of indoor environments may mitigate viral transmission and may be an important control strategy, particularly in schools where viral transmission is common and contributes to the spread of influenza in communities.
However, the variability and predictors of AH in the indoor school environment and the feasibility of classroom humidification to levels that could decrease viral survival have not been studied...
...Conclusions: During winter, indoor AH in non-humidified grade schools varies substantially and often to levels that are very low.
Indoor results are predicted by outdoor AH over a season and CO2 levels (which likely reflects human activity) during individual school days. Classroom humidification may be a feasible approach to increase indoor AH to levels that may decrease influenza virus survival and transmission.
Author: Tyler H KoepFelicity T EndersChris PierretStephen C EkkerDale KrageschmidtKevin L NeffMarc LipsitchJeffrey ShamanW Charles Huskins
Credits/Source: BMC Infectious Diseases 2013, 13:71
Published on: 2013-02-06
Predictors of indoor absolute humidity and estimated effects on influenza virus survival in grade schools
Low absolute humidity (AH) has been associated with increased influenza virus survival and transmissibility and the onset of seasonal influenza outbreaks. Humidification of indoor environments may mitigate viral transmission and may be an important control strategy, particularly in schools where viral transmission is common and contributes to the spread of influenza in communities.
However, the variability and predictors of AH in the indoor school environment and the feasibility of classroom humidification to levels that could decrease viral survival have not been studied...
...Conclusions: During winter, indoor AH in non-humidified grade schools varies substantially and often to levels that are very low.
Indoor results are predicted by outdoor AH over a season and CO2 levels (which likely reflects human activity) during individual school days. Classroom humidification may be a feasible approach to increase indoor AH to levels that may decrease influenza virus survival and transmission.
Author: Tyler H KoepFelicity T EndersChris PierretStephen C EkkerDale KrageschmidtKevin L NeffMarc LipsitchJeffrey ShamanW Charles Huskins
Credits/Source: BMC Infectious Diseases 2013, 13:71
Published on: 2013-02-06