zx2000n t1_iqwzr8p wrote on October 3, 2022 at 6:35 PM

Covid R in the UK rarely exceeded 1.4 in 2022.* So halving transmission would reliably suppress it outside of the most socially active circles, as the vanishing Influenza has shown. Likely with little chance to ever overcome this by mutation, as effective R even decreased over the least two years. Some experiments** hint that this could be done with air filtration in meeting spaces alone. This would also create a good firewall against respiratory pandemics, and avoid the really nasty long-term outcomes of viral infections found in the last few years, like damaged immune systems or vital organs.

So what prevents ventilation subsidies and mandates from being a major goal of politics these days?

* https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-r-value-and-growth-rate ** https://www.fondazionehume.it/data-analysis/controlled-mechanical-ventilation-cmv-works/?print=print

UniversityofBath OP t1_iqx207q wrote on October 3, 2022 at 6:49 PM

I'm an advocate for better ventilation in schools and workplaces. I think it could make a significant difference both in terms of reducing the spread of covid, but also other airborne diseases.

There is an argument which says some of the reduction in R is due to immunity build up through prior infections and as such we may not be able to sustain R<1 indefinitely. Personally though I would prefer to gain immunity through a regular safe and effective vaccine rather than through infection. It is certainly the case that reductions in transmission provided by ventilation would reduce the effective reproduction number relative to what it would be otherwise, taking the edge of the peaks of waves that we might otherwise experience.

I don't believe though that ventilation/filtration is a silver bullet which will end the pandemic on its own. I think it is a tool in a multi-layered protection strategy that we should be implementing which includes vaccination, improved sick pay, mask wearing in some settings, messaging and testing.

We wrote an opinion piece about this in the BMJ earlier this year: https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o1