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Stratum ventilation system decreases risk of contracting airborne illnesses

Category: General Wellness

A recent study published in the journal World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development found that stratum ventilation systems may help reduce the risk of people contracting airborne diseases such as the flu, which can be detected with a lab test.

Stratum ventilation utilizes a horizontal flow of air and it is gaining popularity in East Asia's schools and work facilities because it can help cut down on energy costs.

During the study, Zhang Lin, Jinliang Wang, Ting Yao, T.T. Chow and K.F. Fong of the City University of Hong Kong created a computer program that allowed them to foresee where exhaled droplets would go in the atmosphere when different ventilation techniques - mixing ventilation, displacement ventilation and stratum ventilation - were used.

The results revealed that different ventilation methods influence the likelihood of contracting airborne diseases, and stratum ventilation was most beneficial for the subjects' health.

"The results show that the flow patterns created by different ventilation methods have great influence on the particle fates," the research authors wrote of their study. "The particle concentrations for the breathing zone under stratum ventilation are significantly lower than that under mixing ventilation or with displacement ventilation. This implies that the risk of pathogen inhalation under stratum ventilation is also lower."

Further flu prevention
While the ventilation system utilized by an employer or school can impact a person's risk of contracting the flu, there are myriad other ways that people can prevent themselves from catching the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when sneezing, wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water and try to abstain from coming into contact with sick people.