Thinking Outside the Box: An Introduction to Our 7-Part COVID-19 Series
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Air Support Project’s Mission to Address Air Quality
Air Support Project is kicking off our Know Better, Breathe Better campaign with our new blog series, “Thinking Outside the Box: How to Solve the COVID Problem.” This seven-part series explores the roles that preventative measures such as ventilation, filtration, and masking play in combating the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne diseases. We hope that our discussion about COVID prevention measures can add to the broader conversation about the need to improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ); and help people realize that the same simple innovations can tackle a multitude of public health problems caused by contaminated indoor air.
We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to making clean air accessible, especially in underserved communities, inspired by the open-source DIY Corsi-Rosenthal Box movement– a grassroots movement in which teachers, students, parents, and community members built inexpensive air cleaners that reduced illness and absences in their indoor settings. Today, IAQ remains a major point of discussion in homes, schools, community centers, and businesses, as people and communities around the world continue to deal with the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and other viruses, as well as wildfire smoke, allergies, and other sources of air pollution that plague indoor spaces and negatively impact health and wellness.
Our core mission is to address air quality disparities exacerbated by pandemics and climate-related events. We aim to accomplish this through education and the development and distribution of a low-cost, open-source air purifier. We would like to thank our generous granter, the Balvi Foundation, for making this work possible. Balvi’s invaluable backing enables us to address air quality with accessible, open-source products to ensure that good indoor air quality reaches all communities, including those typically underserved. Thanks to the grant funding provided by Balvi, we can continue our efforts to create cleaner, healthier air for all.
All of our work, including this series, is released under a Creative Commons license and is entirely open source, so we encourage you to share these insights widely to help promote better indoor environments everywhere.
Our 7-Part Series on COVID-19
In this special 7-part COVID-19 Series, we focus on the importance of improving IAQ to combat the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and other airborne diseases. Knowledge is power when it comes to fending off this insidious virus. It is crucial to listen to experts and the scientific literature on COVID-19 to understand how the virus spreads, how to take precautions against it and – perhaps most importantly – why it is so important to prevent infection. Our COVID-19 blog series will cover the following topics related to the virus and how to prevent it:
Part 1: Defining the Problem: COVID-19 in the Air We Breathe– This opening section highlights the latest research on the airborne transmission of COVID-19, setting the stage for understanding why it is so urgent for us to clean indoor air. We explore the science of how the virus spreads, discuss methods for measuring airborne risks, and examine the technologies available to mitigate these risks. Most importantly, we explore practical actions that can be taken to combat the spread of the virus in indoor environments.
Part 2: The Hidden Dangers of Poor Ventilation-Understanding CO2 and Its Impact on COVID-19 Infection Risk- This section focuses on the critical role of ventilation in maintaining safe indoor environments. We begin with a brief overview of ventilation principles before diving into the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and COVID-19 infection risks. We discuss how CO2 monitoring serves as a proxy for assessing the adequacy of ventilation, and discuss what to do when CO2 levels indicate poor air quality, which could heighten infection risks.
Part 3: Ventilation and Filtration: Key to Reducing Viral Density– This section sets the stage for understanding why cleaning indoor air is an urgent issue. Highlighting the latest research on COVID-19 as an airborne virus, we explore how ventilation and filtration can be used as practical measures to reduce viral density – and by extension, disease transmission – in indoor spaces. We then expand our discussion to the public health impacts of these preventative measures, and how simple adjustments in airflow and air cleaning can significantly reduce the spread of airborne disease.
Part 4: Does One-Way Masking Work? – In this section, we take a closer look at optimizing masking as a form of air filtration. We explore the effectiveness of one-way masking—a scenario where only the non-infected person wears a mask—and gauge its effectiveness across different situations and environments. This section looks at the nuances of masking; such as the filtration capabilities of different mask types, the importance of proper fit, and the overall impact of one-way masking on personal safety and public health. Here we analyze how different masks perform and what this means for protecting against airborne pathogens like COVID-19.
Part 5: The Interplay of Time, Viral Density, and Filtration– In this section, we unravel the complex interplay between time, viral density, and filtration in controlling airborne transmission of COVID-19. By examining how exposure duration and the concentration of viral particles influence the effectiveness of preventive measures, we aim to provide a clearer picture of how to optimize indoor environments for safety and well-being.
Part 6: Why At Air Support Project We Strive for 6 to 12 ACH– This section focuses on the importance of achieving a specific target for air changes per hour (ACH) to enhance indoor air quality effectively. At Air Support Project, we advocate for maintaining 6-12 ACH as a gold standard for reducing infection risks in various environments. Follow along as we discuss the benefits of achieving higher ACH levels and how this can be accomplished affordably and efficiently, contributing to safer indoor spaces.
Part 7: Getting the Required ACH With More Affordable Fan-and-Filter Models– In the final installment of our series, we introduce cost-effective MERV 13 fan-and-filter models as an accessible solution for achieving the necessary 6-12 ACH. These innovative devices can ensure cleaner and safer indoor air, often more efficiently than standard HEPA purifiers. Join us as we delve into the science behind these models, evaluate their effectiveness, and guide you on how to create and implement them in your spaces as a safeguard against airborne viruses.
KNOW BETTER, BREATHE BETTER
While the primary focus of this series is COVID-19, the insights we provide are equally applicable to a range of indoor air quality issues, including wildfire smoke, allergens, and other airborne diseases. By staying informed about the multitude of existing sources of indoor air pollution, we can discover practical and cost-effective methods to mitigate them. Our aim is to empower you with knowledge that transcends specific health crises, offering broad applications for improving the air we breathe.
As we move into the first part of our series (Part 1: Defining the Problem: COVID-19 in the Air We Breathe) our goal remains clear: to educate and empower our readers with the knowledge they need to improve indoor air quality and reduce the risk of airborne disease. By understanding the science and solutions discussed in this series, you can take informed actions to protect yourself and your community. We are here to guide you through each step, ensuring that every piece of information serves as a building block towards healthier living environments. So, let’s embark on this journey together with a commitment to “Know Better, Breathe Better.”
“Open-minded people don’t care to be right, they care to understand. There’s never a right or wrong answer. Everything is about understanding.”
Sarah Masih, MD, MBA
Sarah Masih is the Executive Director of Air Support Project and has extensive experience in project management, fundraising, and communications. Her deep commitment to public health and her collaborative approach with community organizations and health experts make her a vital force in the fight for cleaner air and healthier communities.
SHEA O'NEIL
Volunteer
Creator of COVID-conscious advocacy works: writings, art, and social networking. BA degree in psychology, with over 11 years of continued education studies in allergy and autoimmune research, and continued research the past 3 years into airborne irritants and COVID-19. Parent, disabled rights advocate.
S. Riley
S. Riley is a multidisciplinary content creator and technology enthusiast. He's happy to apply his unique skill set to the humanitarian work of Air Support Project.
Melissa Smallwood
Melissa Smallwood is Science and Technology Policy researcher with a background in neuroscience, psychology, and social science, and the author of The Future of Long COVID: A Threatcasting Approach. They are interested in how disability and healthcare justice intersect with emerging technologies, and are an advocate for COVID mitigation strategies to help end the pandemic.
COVID Blog Series
Discover how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 and other respiratory-spread pathogens. Our COVID blog series is applicable to all airborne contaminants. Know Better, Breathe Better.
Wildfire Precautions
KNOW BETTER, BREATHE BETTER.
“I must fight with all my strength so that the little positive things that my health allows me to do might be pointed toward helping the revolution. The only real reason for living.”
FRIDA KAHLO