• @Hirom@beehaw.org
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    295 months ago

    That’s promising. If this reduces the R value by 30%, then generalizing this may have a compounding effect and could reduce an epidemy’s overall size by more than 30%.

          • @I_am_10_squirrels@beehaw.org
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            15 months ago

            R is a statistical measure of correlation. High R means two things are strongly correlated. Dropping the R value decreases the correlation.

            R is also used to note US Republican politicians. Dropping the number of Rs in congress would also have a positive effect on health and wellness.

    • Rentlar
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      85 months ago

      Then it will be a matter of time before crazy parents claim the filters are 5G brainwashing or some BS like that.

      • @Hirom@beehaw.org
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        5 months ago

        Or the opposite. One could say it’s filtering out the vaccine which they falsely claim people are shedding.

      • Butterbee (She/Her)
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        45 months ago

        You just have to tell those people that purifiers are a scam, and that they actually make the air worse and they will eat it up.

    • Echo Dot
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      55 months ago

      So if methane levels were normal what were the filters taking out of the air? I don’t really know what air filters filter out can they remove CO2 because that’s been proven to lower IQ levels

      • Mike D.
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        165 months ago

        Perhaps dust and particulates? The SoCal area is very dusty. If you leave your car parked for a few days it will have a fine layer of dust on it.

        Imagine breathing that in along with all the other germs normally present in a classroom. Less sickness should allow more learning.

        • @blindsight@beehaw.org
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          25 months ago

          I would assume it’s the last point; less sickness from airborne illnesses means more time and energy for learning.

          • Mike D.
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            15 months ago

            Unfortunately, I don’t think there has been research here.

            Hopefully since the start of COVID (it is not over) any new builds or upgrades will include fresh air and filters. This is already done for large gatherings of national leaders so the tech is available.

      • QuinceDaPence
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        95 months ago

        I don’t really know what air filters filter out can they remove CO2

        They filter particulates, CO2 is a gas. Some also have UV-C lights for killing microbes, and some have ozone generators which, despite making things smell clean, should not be run near people.

        If you want to “filter” CO2 out you need what’s called and carbon-dioxide scrubber, like what’s used in rebreathers for divers, submarines, and the space station.

        • Quokka
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          35 months ago

          Also the UV ones are basically a scam, they shine a UV light on the air for so little time it achieves nothing.

          • QuinceDaPence
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            15 months ago

            Pretty much figured that. I have seen one which shines it at the filter which 🤷‍♀️ maybe does something but yeah, probably the better way if someone really wanted to do that is to evacuate the room and just have the light in there for a bit but even having one of those bulbs around without interlocks is kinda dangerous. All the danger of staring at someone welding without the super bright light to make you look away.

    • appel
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      65 months ago

      Probably does the opposite by removing the infectious particles from the air

      • @Overzeetop@beehaw.org
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        485 months ago

        removing/reducing

        The kids still have exposure, but the total load is reduced allowing the body to see and react to the infectious elements without being overwhelmed. All of the “but it’s nature” fanatics should remember that the million years of evolution we have survived with exposure was done without enclosed, poorly ventilated boxes. And within the historical record, the some of the greatest failures of our “natural” immune system prior to vaccines and antibiotics have generally occurred when we enclosed people into poorly ventilated, densely packed communities. (though many failures come from drinking our own poo…usually due to densely packed populations with unregulated water standards/supplies)

        • Echo Dot
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          45 months ago

          though many failures come from drinking our own poo

          It’s drinking other people that’s the real problem. Although it’s disgusting your waste only contains pathogens you already possess.

          • @lemillionsocks@beehaw.org
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            105 months ago

            You can absolutely get sick from ingesting your own waste. There’s plenty of flora and pathogens that exist and live in your gut that can cause problems if you ingest it orally.

            After all we all have e coli and breakouts do still happen.

  • @b0rlax@beehaw.org
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    125 months ago

    Oh wow! Air filtration and ventilation help to avoid the spread of airborne illnesses? Who knew?!?!?

    • QuentinCallaghanOPA
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      5 months ago

      If the WHO had acknowledged from the start that COVID was airborne, it wouldn’t have been the mess we are currently in. Masking would be more prevalent and these indoor air quality measures could have been implemented faster. Health authorities could also have given more better advice, something other than “wash your hands”.

      What also bugs me that even though indoor air quality has been extensively researched here (this study as part of the E3 Pandemic Response project), this knowledge doesn’t properly transfer into political decision-making. Many health authorities have given advice like “wash your hands”, “wear a mask if you want to”, but it’s mostly anchored to the dreaded droplet dogma. The media has the talking heads from the THL (The Institute of Health and Welfare, “our CDC”) spouting their COVID minimizer propaganda that is disconnected from reality, and that has lead to downright disinformation being spread. But as COVID cases have been rising here, so has the sense that the health authorities haven’t done their job properly, and the society is finally waking up from the manufactured illusion of COVID being somehow “over”.

      We are certainly living in interesting times.

      • @b0rlax@beehaw.org
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        25 months ago

        Yeah, there are so many things that our governments and health administrations, both global and national could have done better. Unfortunately all of their efforts were focused on saving the economy and businesses not society and the people.

        I hope people do start “waking up”, but I don’t have very high hope considering the visceral reactions I get from some people when they see me put a mask on or turn down an invite to a crowded bar/restaurant.

        Sadly, COVID has kind of caused me to lose most of my faith in society and the general public. It’s actually really sad when I put it in writing…

  • @danielkyler
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    12 months ago

    Using air purifiers in child care centers reduces children’s sick days by one-third. This really shows the importance of maintaining clean and safe air for children’s health. Perhaps this will also positively affect children’s academic performance and even the results of IQ test.