A Paradigm Shift
A crowded rush hour on the subway in New York . More than three years after the Covid pandemic began , indoor air can still be hazardous . Scientists agree that the next pandemic will almost certainly arise from another airborne virus . Credit ... Hiroko Masuike / The New York Times
“ To achieve real change that reaches a broad swath of the population ,” Dr . Marr said , “ we need standards to be incorporated into building codes and laws at the state and federal level .”
Two new sets of recommendations may begin to usher in change . In May , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended five so‐called air changes per hour — the equivalent of replacing all the air in a room — in all buildings , including schools .
The American Society of Heating , Refrigerating and Air‐Conditioning Engineers , an association of air quality experts , went further , proposing a recommendation of more than eight air changes .
Both sets of guidelines also offer clarity on air quality monitors and upgrades to air filters and ventilation systems .
“ It ’ s a huge leap ,” Dr . Marr said , “ because it ’ s the first time , outside of hospitals and specialized workplaces , we have seen some kind of indoor air target that is based on health rather than just thermal comfort or energy considerations .”
A Paradigm Shift
Indoor air quality might have taken center stage sooner if the medical establishment had not firmly believed that respiratory diseases like influenza spread almost exclusively through large respiratory droplets that are expelled when a person coughs or sneezes .