People are now being advised to keep their windows open to avoid Covid

[MattA7]

Coronavirus: Fresh air 'forgotten weapon' in fight

Experts are increasingly worried that the virus can accumulate in stuffy rooms.

www.bbc.co.uk

For one GP, the very thought of people keeping windows tight shut "makes his head explode with anger".
And a leading engineer says he embarrasses his family in restaurants "by going around trying to bring in fresh air".
They are part of a growing band of medics and experts worried about how the coronavirus can accumulate in stuffy rooms.
And with people gathering indoors in the winter months, they say the authorities need to emphasise the importance of outside air.

This is ridiculous I understand in public buildings but in ones own home it seems a bit far fetched. That being said the Scottish government has been advising this behavior for a while.

 

[Yew]

Yes, because it's freezing, and given the low level of evidence of aerosol transmission hardly seems worth it

 

[kristiang85]

Stay inside and freeze. That's great for peoples' immune systems...

 

[duncanp]

So hypothermia doesn't matter, but COVID does?

And if this "leading engineer" is so worried about the air in restaurants that he "goes around trying to bring in fresh air", he shouldn't bother going to restaurants in the first place. (Assuming they are open that is)

A message to all the "experts" and "professionals" who are spouting this nonsense:-

Just give it a rest and stop spouting this nonsense. If you want me to keep my windows open, are you going to pay my additional heating bills? Thought not. Well then just mind your own business then,

 

[MattA7]

So hypothermia doesn't matter, but COVID does?

And if this "leading engineer" is so worried about the air in restaurants that he "goes around trying to bring in fresh air", he shouldn't bother going to restaurants in the first place. (Assuming they are open that is)

A message to all the "experts" and "professionals" who are spouting this nonsense:-

Just give it a rest and stop spouting this nonsense. If you want me to keep my windows open, are you going to pay my additional heating bills? Thought not. Well then just mind your own business then,

Exactly my winter heating bill is high enough without windows being wide open. The Scottish government has one of over-dramatic TV adverts advising people do the same.

 

[Mojo]

It isn't a bad idea for homes to have more ventilation for your general health or even the structure of the building! Many older homes in particular have been modified extensively with double glazing etc which isn't actually good for the building as air should be flowing through.

If I close all the windows completely in my house then humidity in the house can quite easily creep up over 70%. This can then cause things like condensation and possibly the growth of mould.

Since I have been controlling the humidity naturally (ie. not using a dehumidifier) I've been getting much better sleep and am not finding condensation on the windows or other damp spots on the wall.

 

[Ianno87]

Yes, having one or two windows open a little is generally a good thing to do anyway, regardless of Covid.

 

[Richard Scott]

Many modern windows have ventilators built in to the top, always have one or two open in my house throughout the year. However the premise of windows being open at home to reduce chances of catching virus are just stupid, kill granny by pneumonia brought on by the cold rather than the virus, what a plan. Some of these so-called experts really don't have the common sense they were born with, just a desire to jump on the virus bandwagon and claim their 15 minutes of fame.

 

[roversfan2001]

The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

 

[bramling]

Coronavirus: Fresh air 'forgotten weapon' in fight

Experts are increasingly worried that the virus can accumulate in stuffy rooms.

www.bbc.co.uk

This is ridiculous I understand in public buildings but in ones own home it seems a bit far fetched. That being said the Scottish government has been advising this behavior for a while.

This isn’t new, as there’s been a government advert doing the rounds for a few weeks now, advocating keeping windows open “to let Covid 19 particles out”, which seems rather far-fetched.

I’d echo the general comments on this thread about natural ventilation though. Humidity has never been a major issue in my place, as old sash windows aren’t the best insulators in the first place, however in the last couple of years I’ve had a bit of a purge on this, with quite noticeable results - in particular reducing condensation on window panes, which as well as being a cause of mould is also a guaranteed way to rot wooden frames. But even this is nuanced, no point in having windows wide open on a humid winter morning.

 

[Mojo]

If you think this is bad, feel sorry for school teachers and students. Many headteachers (following gov advice) have mandated that classrooms must have all windows and doors open. Students and teachers are sitting in their classes in their coats and shivering. Almost as if they’re trying to make people ill...

 

[Mag_seven]

What about the risk of a Covid infected person sneezing as they walk past my open window and the droplets being blown in.

 

[DustyBin]

It isn't a bad idea for homes to have more ventilation for your general health or even the structure of the building! Many older homes in particular have been modified extensively with double glazing etc which isn't actually good for the building as air should be flowing through.

If I close all the windows completely in my house then humidity in the house can quite easily creep up over 70%. This can then cause things like condensation and possibly the growth of mould.

Since I have been controlling the humidity naturally (ie. not using a dehumidifier) I've been getting much better sleep and am not finding condensation on the windows or other damp spots on the wall.

That’s correct, add in things like additional insulation, central heating and even carpets/floor coverings and you’re asking an old building to perform well outside of it’s original parameters.

 

[sheff1]

If I owned a restaurant and this 'leading engineer' went round trying to "wrench open" windows he would be told to leave sharpish.

 

[High Dyke]

What's wrong with having some fresh air?

 

[3rd rail land]

What's wrong with having some fresh air?

It's winter therefore cold and I wish to stay warm. If I have the heating on I don't want the heat to escape out of an open window. Plus I live in London which is somewhat polluted so the air won't be fresh.

 

[HSTEd]

So hypothermia doesn't matter, but COVID does?

Hypothermia will only hurt people who are too poor to brute force the situation with their heating systems.

Those people don't actually matter remember.

 

[Dai Corner]

What about the effect of all that extra fuel being burnt to maintain indoor temperatures with the windows open on the global climate?

 

[Richard Scott]

What about the effect of all that extra fuel being burnt to maintain indoor temperatures with the windows open on the global climate?

That doesn't matter, either, at the moment. Only the virus matters!!!

 

[Peter0124]

Whilst I like the idea, I'd rather not have loads of bugs flying around the house either in warmer months

 

[bb21]

In amongst all the hysteria, both on this forum and reflected through BBC sensationalist journalism, isn't the underlying message quite sound (at the bottom of the quoted article and as Mojo mentioned) to keep a certain level of ventilation which helps with air circulation, thereby minimising risks of transmission and even for general health in other times?

 

[DelayRepay]

In amongst all the hysteria, both on this forum and reflected through BBC sensationalist journalism, isn't the underlying message quite sound (at the bottom of the quoted article and as Mojo mentioned) to keep a certain level of ventilation which helps with air circulation, thereby minimising risks of transmission and even for general health in other times?

I agree - but it's one of those theories that doesn't necessarily translate well into practice.

I will open windows to let air in, even in winter. But I tend to only open them for a short while, in rooms I'm not in. It is a better way of making the house smell 'fresh' than using candles and what have you.

Unlikely to help with Covid though as if I did have visitors, I wouldn't expect them to sit in a room with the windows open.

 

[birchesgreen]

My house doesn't have central heating so i think i'll leave the windows closed, cold enough already.

 

[JonathanP]

It's common practice in Germany to "air rooms for a few minutes several times a day". It doesn't seem to have done us much harm, or bankrupted the nation. The posts here going on about hypothermia, and extortionate heating bills are quite frankly ridiculous. It's just a few minutes a couple of times a day. Unless you live on a windswept mountain top the ambient air temperature won't drop by more than 5 degrees. Do people seriously stay inside for days at a time, every window bolted tight shut, without ever taking a breath of fresh air?

Sooner or later you have to get some fresh air, if only to get rid of cooking smells, and it's a lot more fuel efficient to open all the windows for a few minutes, and let the central heating run for a few minutes to heat the air back up again, than keeping the windows slightly open continuously(which at least in my house results in the central heating running continuously too).

As a side note, last year they installed Carbon Dioxide detectors in our non-air conditioned office. Perhaps it's psychochomatic, but when several people gather in an unventilated room for a meeting it's surprising how quickly the carbion dioxide level rises, and how you start to feel drowsy and unfocused as a result. Another reason to ventilate.

 

[DustyBin]

As has been pointed out, it’s no bad thing to ventilate a room/home. I think a bit of common sense is required, although I didn’t read the guidance referred to I suspect it wasn’t communicated very well (for a change!). Modern homes in particular are very ‘airtight’ so don’t self ventilate, unlike my draughty old house!

 

[birchesgreen]

As has been pointed out, it’s no bad thing to ventilate a room/home. I think a bit of common sense is required, although I didn’t read the guidance referred to I suspect it wasn’t communicated very well (for a change!). Modern homes in particular are very ‘airtight’ so don’t self ventilate, unlike my draughty old house!

Yeah the draughts in mine fulfil any ventilation requirements!

 

[Shimbleshanks]

<o people seriously stay inside for days at a time, every window bolted tight shut, without ever taking a breath of fresh air?>>
Yup, you've pretty well described my Missus' lifestyle in a nutshell there...

 

[DB]

It's common practice in Germany to "air rooms for a few minutes several times a day". It doesn't seem to have done us much harm, or bankrupted the nation. The posts here going on about hypothermia, and extortionate heating bills are quite frankly ridiculous. It's just a few minutes a couple of times a day.

I agree that doing that is fine (many of us do it), but that's not what is being talked about here - so far as I can see the suggestion is leaving windows open most of the time, which at this time of year is really not sensible.

 

[Richard Scott]

I agree that doing that is fine (many of us do it), but that's not what is being talked about here - so far as I can see the suggestion is leaving windows open most of the time, which at this time of year is really not sensible.

It seems like another load of non science information. Just heard advert on radio saying it'll 'blow covid particles away'. What a load of nonsense, think might be sending a message to advertising standards agency over that one.

 

[High Dyke]

There's plenty of hot air on this thread. As Major Bloodnok says "Somebody open a window please."