{"id":5441,"date":"2021-09-02T17:18:21","date_gmt":"2021-09-02T16:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress-388643-2486556.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=5441"},"modified":"2022-04-26T14:58:49","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T13:58:49","slug":"co2-levels-indoors-and-on-public-transport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/safecility.com\/co2-levels-indoors-and-on-public-transport\/","title":{"rendered":"Return to the office: we need to measure CO2 levels indoors and on public transport to minimise Covid spread."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As restrictions continue to loosen RTE\u2019s Radio One’s mid morning current affairs programme Today with Claire Byrne<\/em> dug down into practical ways to monitor CO2 and ventilation to minimise Covid spread indoors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ventilation<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

COVID-19 is a respiratory airborne illness. So an obvious way to limit spread is through correct ventilation, but how do we know if we\u2019re ventilating properly, or if we even need to ventilate at all? Monitoring carbon dioxide in the air is simple and easy to implement, and gives us a real-time indication of air flow and air quality in confined spaces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Keeping an eye on <\/strong>CO2 – <\/strong>Ventilation <\/strong>is key<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This morning, in the first half of Today with Claire Byrne, RTE Radio One<\/a><\/em> Claire welcomed to the show Dr David Nabarro, Special Envoy on Covid-19 for the World Health Organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delighted about a return to normal life, Dr Nabarro explained how he’s confident that vaccines and vaccine uptake hold the key to living with Covid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite his positive outlook about a return to normality, he stressed that Covid is not going away. And as a nation we still need to be mindful of distancing and ventilation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He advised \u201c…continue to restart life as we\u2019re doing, but bear in mind that this virus is capable of returning…so those who are able to practice physical distance, should not get too close to other people, particularly in confined spaces. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are absolutely clear that this virus is more likely to cause problems in areas that are not ventilated\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Squeezed onto buses and trains at rush hour. Shared handrails and stop buttons. Packed lifts every morning as people arrive to work. Busy staff rooms with queues to use the sink or microwave. How do we deal with these situations in a post Covid world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are absolutely clear that this virus is more likely to cause problems in areas that are not ventilated”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Dr David Nabarro, Covid-19 Special Envoy, World Health Organisation<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before Covid-19 flipped the world upside down, most of us travelled to our workplace every day. And the \u201cright thing to do\u201d was to leave the car behind and avail of public transport (if it was available) in the best interest of the planet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, things have changed. Packing ourselves into a compact condensation filled space is in direct contrast to everything we\u2019ve been told not to do over the last 18months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the pandemic has shown that working from home is feasible for many, a return to the workplace must happen for businesses who cannot function remotely, or, for those employees who simply cannot work from home. It\u2019s unavoidable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t manage what you can\u2019t measure\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a separate but related segment of the programme, RTE journalist Brian O\u2019Connell<\/a> travelled to Macroom to meet with UCC Chemistry lecturer Prof. John Wenger.<\/a> A Macroom resident and air quality expert, Prof. Wenger decided to monitor CO2<\/sub> levels in local businesses to discover if their efforts at ventilation were working. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Spent some time with Chemistry Professor @johnwenger9<\/a> in Macroom this week and he brought his co2 monitors along. Some really interesting results as we visited businesses including @castleHmacroom<\/a> . Coming up this am @TodaywithClaire<\/a> after 11. pic.twitter.com\/8pxO21206n<\/a><\/p>— Brian O'Connell (@oconnellbrian) September 2, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>