According to recent reports, one way that the public can help in the ongoing fight against the worldwide coronavirus pandemic is to increase the amount of humidification both at home and in the workplace in the event that overall humidity levels themselves are low. Additionally, any and all hospitals that are currently treating cases of viral respiratory infections are likely to be advised to do the same thing as well.
It is being heavily suggested that the reason the coronavirus has had a minimal impact in tropical countries while other countries such as China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, and the United States have had to deal with outbreaks has to do with humidity.
A new study that was posted for review back on March 9 states the following:
“To date, Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, has established significant community spread in cities and regions only along a narrow east west distribution roughly along the 30-50 N corridor at consistently similar weather patterns. Because of geographical proximity and significant travel connections, epidemiological modeling of the epicenter predicted that regions in Southeast Asia, and specifically Bangkok would follow Wuhan, and China in the epidemic. Instead, COVID-19 failed to spread significantly to countries immediately south of China.”
A doctor with Johns Hopkins University also had the follow to say in order to further explain just how important humidity is:
“The epithelial cells have small cellular protrusions calls cilia that move the mucus to promote clearance of pathogens and particles that enter the respiratory system. Analysis of the mucus in the trachea showed that infection in low humidity resulted in the inability of the cilia on the epithelial cells to move it. The low humidity made the mucus too thick.”
Another doctor further explains what individuals can do whenever low humidity is unavoidable:
“A mask will certainly keep your nose and mouth warmer and more humidified. I always wear a mask on international flights for this reason, where 10% relative humidity and closed environment makes for a perfect transmission incubator.”
This same doctor further noted that winter months require a great deal of indoor heating, which can lead to low amounts of indoor humidity as a result. In turn, this can lead to a reduced amount of mucociliary clearance and innate antiviral immunity, which can lead to an increased amount of respiratory virus in an individual’s lungs, as well as an increased mortality rate.
According to the study, the overall target humidity should be 50% ambient humidity at room temperature, which led to dramatically increased survival in animal subjects that were used as part of a test. In the event that a humidifier is not available to be used, a large pot of water that is carefully kept at a low boil can be used to humidify dry winter air to more healthy levels.
According to the new research that has been released, it is suggested that warmer and more humid air will end up bringing relief to those countries that are affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic soon. Until then, however, the top two things that will likely save lives and turn the corner in the fight against the pandemic itself are indoor humidification and the use of face masks.