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?
zx2000n t1_iqwzr8p wrote
Reply to Hi, I’m Kit Yates. I’m a mathematical biologist at the University of Bath. I’m also a popular science author and a member of the scientific advisory group Independent SAGE by UniversityofBath
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