COVID-19: Here's why you should ventilate your home

Of all the tools available to fight against the spread of the coronavirus, this one's probably the simplest: just ventilate your home at least three times a day for fifteen minutes. Here's what you need to know.

COVID-19: Here's why you should ventilate your home
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COVID-19: Here's why you should ventilate your home

Sometimes, less is more, and the small, simple actions we take daily could be what ultimately saves us from the virus, or at least slows down its spread. We know it's gotten chilly outside, so leaving your windows open is probably the last thing on your mind, but doing so can limit the indoor spread of COVID-19.

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Last summer, the WHO declared that the aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 should be taken very seriously because infectious particles in droplets produced by coughing and sneezing can stay in the air and later be breathed in.

As such, many scientists in the medical field recommend ventilating closed spaces. Anne Casetta of Cochin Hospital in Paris explained this theory in an interview with Le Parisien.

Opening the windows wide reduces the concentration of viruses in the air. We know that the rate of contamination is dependent on the infectious dose. The more you dilute it, the lower your risk of getting infected. A lot of the virus will end up outside.

Some countries have even made it a mandatory measure. In Germany, for example, Chancellor Angela Merkel officially added ventilating rooms to the list of recommendations for coronavirus infection protection.

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