Many of us spend at least some time in our cars. Hence, this important question: Do you optimize your airflow due to COVID-19? Below, we highlight how to drive more safely during COVID-19.
Have a Good Airflow to Drive More Safely During COVID-19
Recently, a multi-author study was conducted on this topic. To access a full copy of the findings in Science Advances, click here.
For a ready-friendly synopsis, we turn to Keven Stacey-Brown, writing for Fierce Healthcare:
A new study of airflow patterns inside a car offers some suggestions for potentially reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission while sharing rides with others. The researchers used computer models to simulate the airflow inside a compact car. With various combinations of windows open or closed.
The simulations showed that opening windows — the more windows the better — created airflow patterns. That dramatically reduced the concentration of airborne particles exchanged between a driver and a single passenger. Blasting the car’s ventilation system didn’t circulate air nearly as well as a few open windows, the researchers found.
“Driving around with the windows up and the air conditioning or heat on is definitely the worst scenario, according to our computer simulations,” says co-lead author Asimanshu Das, a graduate student in Brown University’s School of Engineering. “The best scenario we found was having all four windows open, but even having one or two open was far better than having them all closed.”
