‘ Health and Happiness ’
“ I worked with them on editing the scientific brief on transmission , and it was clear that they did not want to use the word ,” Dr . Marr said of the C . D . C . “ It ’ s maddening .”
‘ Health and Happiness ’
Opening windows and turning on fans before class at a school in Pennsylvania last year . Opening windows may cease to be a practical option as wildfires , soaring temperatures and air pollution are on the rise . Credit ... Michelle Gustafson for The New York Times
Respiratory viruses aren ’ t the only reason to clean the air indoors .
Indoor air pollution — from wildfire smoke that infiltrates homes , building materials like asbestos , gases like radon or even fumes from cleaning supplies — affects the heart , lungs and the brain , contributing to chronic illnesses like asthma and diabetes .
Elevated carbon dioxide in crowded rooms can cause drowsiness and loss of concentration , leading to poor academic performance . Improved air quality can reduce absenteeism , in schools and in offices .
“ Improving indoor air quality pays for itself , in benefits to both the economy and to human health and happiness ,” said Brian Fleck , an air quality expert at the University of Alberta in Canada . “ It ’ s always surprising how things known for a very long time are still not acted upon .”
As the pandemic unfolded , some schools and businesses coped by simply opening windows . But with wildfires , soaring temperatures and rising air pollution , that will cease to be a practical option — indeed , it already has in many parts of the world .
The better solution is to clean the air already indoors .
Experts generally agree that the air in a room should be replaced six to eight times an hour . For an average‐size room , air purifiers that cost a few hundred dollars can accomplish that goal .