The Institute for Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC) and the Son Espases University Hospital (Mallorca) used a new methodology to measure the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital air and found that the air in the corridors has a higher concentration of virus than in the rooms of patients with covid-19.
That’s because they have a individual ventilation systemWhile the hallways have one every four rooms. The results of the study, published in the journal Environmental Research, could serve to review these systems in hospitals, improve air quality and prevent infection of health personnel.
The new system consists of putting the air filters in corridors, rooms and other hospital rooms to analyze the virus genetic material systematically.
The greatest presence of genetic material from the virus is found in the corridors adjacent to the rooms of covid-19 patients.
According to the authors, the greatest presence of the virus’ genetic material is found in the corridors adjacent to the rooms of the covid patients-19, and not in the rooms themselves, where ventilation is more efficient. Therefore, there is a transfer of such viruses to the runners.
“These results are important, as a lot of care is taken when entering the rooms, but less in the corridors”, emphasizes the first author of the work and researcher at IDAEA-CSIC, Joan Grimalt.
Transferable results to other hospitals
At work, the team measured the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA through an air filtration in different locations of the hospital (covid-19 patient rooms and the corridors adjacent to them; corridors adjacent to both ICU rooms and those without covid-19 patients; and the external terrace) and its subsequent quantification using the PCR technique.
The scientists measured the RNA concentration of the covid-19 virus using air filters and used a PCR technique to quantify it.
The results of this pioneering research are transferable to other hospitals, as ventilation systems are generally similar.
“First, it would be necessary to monitor the amount of virus RNA in the air at each hospital. If the result is positive, the ventilation system would have to be changed and adapted to the particularities of each hospital”, explains the specialist.
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