Are Air Purifiers Effective for COVID Protection?
As we enter the colder months and spend more time indoors, it’s natural to want to safeguard our health—especially given the impact COVID-19 has had on all of us over the past four years. COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has continued to show seasonal patterns, often surging in winter as people gather indoors with less ventilation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), winter can elevate the spread of respiratory illnesses and affect the ability of the virus to survive and spread.1 However, by taking proactive steps, we can reduce our risk of exposure, helping us enjoy a healthier holiday season with loved ones.
Best Practices to Be Prepared
Here are some essential health practices for reducing the spread of COVID:
- Hand Washing: Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol when soap is not available.
- Wear Masks: Use well-fitting masks, especially in crowded or indoor settings. N95 or similar respirators offer higher protection.
- Avoid Touching Your Face: Limit hand-to-face contact and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, especially with unwashed hands, to reduce the risk of virus entry.
- Regular Cleaning: Frequently clean high-touch surfaces (like doorknobs, light switches, and phones) with disinfectant wipes or sprays.
- Vaccination: Stay up to date on your COVID vaccinations and booster doses to protect against severe illness and reduce transmission.
- Purchase an Air Purifier: Use air purifiers with HEPA filters in indoor spaces to reduce airborne particles.
Can Air Purifiers Help Protect Against COVID?
Yes, air purifiers can be valuable in reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission, especially when paired with other health measures. Air purifiers equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters capture a high percentage of airborne particles, including respiratory droplets that may carry viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
For example, AirDoctor’s UltraHEPA™ filters capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.003 microns—significantly smaller than the 0.1-micron size of typical COVID-19 particles. Since COVID-19 particles are usually contained within larger respiratory droplets, these HEPA air purifiers effectively trap them, improving indoor air quality and lowering transmission risk.
How to Maximize Your Air Purifier’s Effectiveness
To get the most benefit from your air purifier, consider the following tips:
- Ventilation: Open windows or use fans alongside your air purifier to improve airflow and reduce particle concentration.
- Room Size: Choose an air purifier rated for the size of your room to ensure effective air circulation and filtration.
- Filter Maintenance: Regularly clean and replace filters as recommended to keep your purifier performing at its best and ensure higher air quality.
Don’t Forget Your HVAC Systems
It’s also important to consider your HVAC system. Ensure that your system is well-maintained and equipped with filters that meet high-efficiency standards. HVAC systems use a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating system, where a MERV rating of 14 or higher is recommended for maximum effectiveness in capturing smaller particles, like COVID-19.
AirDoctor’s HVAC filters have a Gold Standard MERV 14 rating which capture particles as small as 0.1 microns, increasing your system’s ability to trap COVID particles and further improving your indoor air quality.
Breath and COVID
Understanding the relationship between breathing and COVID is crucial for prevention and management. Implementing safety measures, addressing respiratory symptoms promptly, and supporting lung health can help mitigate the virus’s impact. COVID primarily spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes. These droplets can be inhaled by others, leading to transmission. With that, COVID often affects the respiratory system, causing symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can range from mild to severe. It can cause inflammation in the lungs, leading to impaired gas exchange and reduced oxygen levels in the blood.
After recovering from the initial infection, some people may continue to experience shortness of breath for weeks or months afterward. This is called long COVID2. Since your lungs and breath can be at risk if exposed, there are breathing techniques that can be implemented after exposure to minimize potential damage. According to the American Lung Association, pursed lip breathing and belly breathing are two types of breathing practices that can be practiced to continue to keep your lungs strong.3
Both of these breathing techniques, along with proper air purification and ventilation, can help keep your lungs strong and support overall respiratory health. While stronger lung function alone may not prevent COVID infection, cleaner air and better lung health together can reduce exposure risks and support recovery if infection occurs.
Why AirDoctor?
AirDoctor is a global leader in air purification, and was recently named the #1 Air Purifier in Newsweek’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.4,5 With our UltraHEPA® air purification technology, AirDoctor purifiers remove 99.97% of airborne particles, including live COVID-19 particles. Independent laboratory tests have shown that our purifiers can capture particles as small as 0.003 microns. View the full lab report here.
AirDoctor purifiers feature a 3-stage filtration system, including a pre-filter for larger contaminants, a carbon VOC filter for gasses and odors, and the UltraHEPA filter for the smallest particles, including bacteria and viruses. No matter the size of your space, AirDoctor has a model that’s right for you. Our largest air purifier, the AD5500, is perfect for large rooms and open spaces, while the AD1000 is ideal for smaller spaces like bathrooms or laundry rooms.
In addition to protecting against COVID-19, AirDoctor purifiers provide peace of mind against cold and flu season as well. With AirDoctor, you can enjoy cleaner air and a healthier home as you gather with loved ones this winter.
Citations:
1) https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/covid-19-can-surge-throughout-the-year.html
2) https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-and-shortness-of-breath#long-covid
3) https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises
5) https://www.newsweek.com/readerschoice/best-air-purifier
