The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had people sharing an array of strategies for disinfection and disease prevention. The ensuing months showed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is primarily spread through the air via contaminated droplets, prompting a new wave of air purifying technology. A feature article in Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, details the various air purifier technologies and their efficacy against the coronavirus.
Although official guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that social distancing and mask wearing are the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 indoors, they also state that air purifiers can help reduce airborne contaminants, including viruses. These gadgets rely on various technologies, writes special correspondent Mark Peplow, and whereas some are proven to work, others require more data. Filtration with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters made from glass or polymer fibers is the most popular choice in hospitals and other clinical settings.
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