It’s not safe to run centralised ACs in offices, I-T dept told

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:6.5.2020

On a query from income tax authorities whether it is safe to open its offices with centralised air-conditioning, the Indian Medical Association has suggested that the available evidence indicates that a closed space, especially a centrally airconditioned building is unsafe in the current stage of the coronavirus epidemic.

“Working in such buildings may be avoided until suitable alternative evidence emerges. The other option will be to modify them for suitable adequate ventilation,” the IMA advisory said. However, it further adds that the risk can be minimised with higher ventilation rate (opening the windows), superior filtration, UV treatment of air and using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifier.

Asking the department to avoid offices with centralised ACs, the advisory cited two examples: one from Guangzhou in China where the outbreak in an air-conditioned restaurant involved three family clusters, and in the second case the airconditioning system in the Diamond Princess cruise ship spread Covid particles and infected almost half of the 3,700 passengers on board the ship.

The size of coronavirus is about 120 nanometres in diameter and even if one infected person releases the virus in the air through sneezing, the air conditioning system would carry the virus to every cabin, the note said.

However, individual AC units in offices and homes are safe if inside occupants are non-infected. It is recommended to keep windows slightly open or introduce a fresh air source to ensure dilution of pollutants, the IMA advisory said.

The Indian Medical Association has suggested the available evidence indicates that a closed space, especially a centrally air-conditioned building is unsafe in the current stage of the coronavirus epidemic