I usually start each post here with one of my own photos but today is different. This diagram is taken from a fascinating important new research paper from Ireland. You can read the whole paper here.
These researchers found that 50% of Covid deaths in Ireland occurred from infections acquired in less than 400 buildings in the whole country – out of about 2.5 million buildings!
They show that this infection spreads in unsafe places because of poor quality air. And that can be fixed by improving ventilation and measuring air quality or mitigated by limiting the number of people in a particular place at the same time and by wearing masks in such places.
It turns out the Japanese authorities had this right from the beginning with their public education about the “3 Cs” – closed places, crowded spaces and close contacts.
The same principle applies to workplace outbreaks where over half in Ireland occurred in about 150 buildings. It’s the same with care homes where the majority of deaths were in a small minority of homes. It’s the same phenomenon in peoples homes where the most overcrowded homes have the highest risks of infection.
This virus doesn’t spread primarily via surfaces. It spreads in the air, and the poorer the air quality, the greater the presence of the virus. It’s the same thing in Public transport as it is in homes, offices and other buildings.
Why is this important?
Because it shows a better way to manage this pandemic – avoiding both lockdowns and letting the virus run wild through the population.
At a Public Health level this shows government should target the improvement of air quality in public places through better ventilation and air quality monitors. They should target Public Health education about the “3 Cs” and encourage both caution and mask wearing in those situations.
At a personal level knowing this enables you to make better choices. Having caution and wearing masks in higher risk situations and paying attention to sufficient ventilation.
It also shows how important it is to reduce the problem of overcrowded homes and poorly ventilated work and social places.
Heroes Not Zombies 
Hello from the UK
Thank you very much for this post. It is very illuminating, if not surprising. I am a building surveyor with nearly 40 years’ experience. I have been aware of Sick Building Syndrome for a while as this has been an issue for some time, since the late 1970’s it seems.
This is due to various factors, but primarily VOC’s, volatile organic compounds from oil based products. These will include paints and plastics. The VOC’s in paints has been reduced in recent years because of this problem, but the issue of plastics remains as serious problem. Buildings and homes are full of them. This used not to be the case.
Also of concern is the use of cleaning products, especially those based on ammonia. This is a neuro-toxin and the increased stress on their use over the Covid 19 so-called ‘crisis’ has merely aggravated the situation.
As regards Covid 19, this is the ‘flu, which is a general term for the internal toxicosis of the body. partly due to metabolism of food and partly due to the many poisons in our environment which can and do enter our bodies in the air, food and water.
The internal toxicosis is generally worse in the winter in the northern hemisphere when pollution levels tend to increase and we spend more time indoors. It is also strongly related to falling vitamin D levels due primarily to less sun exposure. In the right circumstances the sun benefits us hugely, and eventually leads to vitamin D production in our bodies at no expense!
It is therefore not the case that we ‘catch’ it, but that we share an environment where other individuals ingest/breathe in toxins. But not everybody suffers to the same degree because each person’s immune system varies. Even where they live or work within the building or location varies, so the relevant factors must be judged on a case by case basis.
However, there are certain common factors such as explained in you post and the paper you refer to.
I explain the link to pollution in my post re Wuhan where the pollution is awful in winter due to the temperature inversion in the middle of China. Hence the respiratory diseases.
If you are interested here is my Wuhan link.
https://alphaandomegacloud.wordpress.com/wuhan-flu/
Finally may I say I appreciate the beautiful photos on your site having glanced briefly over these. Thank you again for your post.
Kind regards
Baldmichael Theresoluteprotector’sson
Thank you for your kind comments about the photos. I hope they bring you some delight.
And thank you too for taking the time to share your insights.
My expertise isn’t in buildings, but I am aware of some research into the impact of building design in creating healing spaces.
I have no doubt that the experience of illness is as unique and varied as all human beings are, and that we haven’t paid enough attention to the interactions between environments, individual people and the kingdom of micro-organisms.