Published: 15/05/2020
'Keep Indoor Places Well Ventilated' – This is one of the key principles cited in the UK Government’s COVID-19 return to work strategy1 published on 11 May 2020. The strategy also states ‘Evidence suggests that the virus is less likely to be passed on in well-ventilated buildings and outdoors’ and advises to ‘Use external extractor fans to keep spaces well ventilated and make sure that ventilation systems are set to maximise the fresh air flow rate’. This guidance is designed to ensure time spent in your workplace is as safe as possible, and is a clear demonstration of how vital effective ventilation is. Vent-Axia has welcomed this guidance since the company has seen first-hand how ventilation has helped fight the virus. The leading British ventilation manufacturer has helped in the national response against COVID-19 by supplying ventilation to a number of field hospitals, including the NHS Nightingale Hospital in London.
This latest guidance echoes the statement by Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Government’s COVID-19 press briefing on 29 April 2020 where he said, “There is a definite truism across all of the science literature, that ventilation is a most critical part of reducing transmission from respiratory viruses.”