‘Ventilating our homes will help stop others being infected’

Catherine Noakes, professor of environmental engineering, Leeds University

“As winter approaches, people will naturally spend more time indoors – welcoming friends and family into their home as the weather gets colder. While we’ve all been looking forward to this for so long, it’s important to remember that coronavirus is still around us, and can easily spread in the home. “If someone is infected (and remember they might be showing no symptoms), Covid-19 particles are released into the air by coughing, talking or simply breathing. In an enclosed space, those infectious particles can build up over time and remain suspended in the air, increasing the risk of other people in the room breathing them in – especially if there is no ventilation or fresh air helping to refresh the air being breathed.

“With this in mind, as we meet more people inside, it’s so important to use ventilation such as opening a window, even for just a short time, so fresh air can disperse and blow Covid-19 particles away and decrease the risk of others being infected.”