How to Fix Sick Buildings and Ventilation: Joe Allen
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- Опубліковано 22 тра 2024
- Healthy buildings expert Joseph Allen from Harvard School of Public Health explains how the air in our homes, workplaces, and schools is contributing to disease, and poor mental function, and putting us at higher risk for infections. The good news? Solutions can be as simple as opening a window. HEPA filters and air purifiers are discussed in detail along with various other topics.
Joseph G. Allen, DSc, MPH is Associate Professor of Exposure Assessment Science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Director of the Harvard Healthy Buildings Program. See his full bio here: www.hsph.harvard.edu/joseph-a...
Interviewer: Kyle Allred, Physician Assistant, Producer / Co-Founder of MedCram.com
TOPICS IN THIS VIDEO INCLUDE:
0:00 Interview Highlights
0:47 Introducing Prof. Joseph Allen from Harvard School of Public Health
1:58 Aerosols vs. droplets: is plexiglass helpful against COVID-19?
3:12 Mask on in office building with barriers every 6 feet?
4:11 Why such little recognition of ventilation and filtration for coronavirus?
6:11 Simple strategies to improve ventilation and filtration at home, office, school
7:59 Why "air changes per hour" is so important, healthy buildings, and sick building syndrome
9:44 Air cleaners and best air purifiers for health and COVID 19 prevention
11:43 Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) for HEPA filters, Best air purifier reviews
14:10 Optimizing masks: type, fit, data
17:06 Mask fitters and N95 fit testing
18:25 Humidity and coronavirus
20:56 Is airplane travel high risk for COVID 19?
23:42 Portable CO2 monitors
26:13 Ventilation and cognitive performance
28:12 Design changes for better indoor performance
29:23 Getting kids back to school for in-person learning
33:22 How schools (and homes) can improve their air
35:07 "BPA free" and chemical "whack a mole"
41:29 Final thoughts from Prof. Allen - humans have become an indoor species
(This video was recorded on January 15, 2021)
REFERENCES:
Healthy Buildings Website | forhealth.org (Harvard School of Public Health / J. Allen Et al.)
5 Steps to Checking Ventilation in Classrooms | schools.forhealth.org/ventila...
Air Cleaner Calculator | docs.google.com/spreadsheets/... (Harvard- CU Boulder)
Professor Allen’s Book: Healthy Buildings | www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.p... (also available on Amazon.com)
These toxic chemicals are everywhere - even in your body. And they won’t ever go away | www.washingtonpost.com/opinio... (Joseph Allen - Washington Post)
Inward and outward effectiveness of cloth masks, a surgical mask, and a face shield | www.medrxiv.org/content/10.11... (MedRxiv - Linsey C. Marr Et al.)
An inexpensive mask “fitter” | www.fixthemask.com
Prof. Allen on Twitter: / j_g_allen
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Hello, may you activate automatic subtitles?
Sometimes it's difficult to me to hear and understand the words spoken.
Thank you so much.
I learned from my Mama’s example. She woke in the morning, put on coffee, opened kitchen windows a bit, then headed around the house opening windows. She poured her coffee, sat a d enjoyed it, then went around closing windows, if it was really cold or hot. It makes a huge difference!
I like that he's siting there right by an open window.
One of the first things I learned in veterinary school 40 years ago was that infectious disease in cattle was inversely related to the number of air exchanges in the barn in which they resided. Even in a relatively open environment, a powerful fan was valuable in minimizing illness.
yes, correct.
Yes one of the first things I found when researching a chicken coop for starting a backyard flock was ventilation to keep illness down-ventilated but not drafty. Such common sense yet we humans always ignore the obvious
It's been a long time customary practice in Germany to open all the windows and doors for about 15-20 minutes in the morning. Some do it in evening too (even in winter). When people wake up they take many deep breaths of fresh air to clean out their lungs. Breathe my healthy friend! 😲 😁
'Ventilation is the best form of sanitation'. My mum would always tell us this when we were younger.
The doctors are 100% correct . I bought an hitachi air filter with hepa filter for my parents in their 70's, sister and cousin who all tested positive for covid 19 last february. they shared the same room in Dubai. And gave also told them to take vitamin D .in 6 days they recovered and tested negative.
I had 2, 20 inch box fans that circulate 1900 cubic feet a minute. When this whole thing started I duct taped the highest rated healthy living furnace filters I could find on the back and the front of each. So each is pulling the air through a filter, then blowing out past another filter.
Who needs a $700 Dyson with $100 replacement filters haha.
I live in the northern most metropolis in North America. Opening windows isn't always an option in Arctic Temps. Between the two not counting the Furnace I am moving 3800 cubic feet of air a minute through 4 Merv 13 filters.
Good use for $20 fans in the winter. Lol
This interview contained more logical and sensible advice in lowering risk in 43 minutes than the whole British Government and its compromised advisers have in over a year!
Soooooooo glad to hear him acknowledge air borne transmission. I said it was a mode of transmission when this first began and got n2 a big disagreement with my immediate supervisor and corporate. I'm an RN of 44 + years.
Kyle, awesome job developing and maturing this channel. Over this last year MedCram has been the most valuable content anywhere, hands down.
Great to hear- thank you
As an architect, this was invaluable information. I will be sharing this video with all my clients, Thank you so much!
Even in the cold months, open windows from time to time to allow fresh air to move into the house. Also, move potential air contaminants out by using fans in the kitchen to remove cooking fumes.👍
Its amazing to me how state governments can craft legislation to help restaurants with ventilation and other measures to remain open, but totally ignore schools. It breaks my heart !
My grandmother who was born in 1920 and whos mother and father survived the spanish flu as teenagers always told me to never close the windows at night always leave them cracked for fresh air or youll get sick in the winter. She was from NY and south Bend where it snowed plenty .
They should be showing this on the nightly news instead of UFOs, UFOs, UFOs. Thank you both.
Ventilation is one of those things that are sort of universally known, but rarely applied as they should be. Thank You for reminding us.
As someone moving from Eastern Europe to the US as an adult, it never ceases to amaze me how difficult it is to find windows that open in this country! the mania of air conditioning is such that you literally do not see open windows in the neighborhood around my house - everyone has their house AC_d in winter and summer despite the fact that this is a rural area, with fairly clean air! My work windows do not open, my child's school has windows that cannot e opened, when we travel in hotels, it's impossible to open a window... It always struck me as very unnatural. As this presentation shows it's also unhealthy.
The middle school I went to was built in the 70s and it had an extremely high rate of ppl getting sick even for a school. They discovered that there were vents on the roof made for ventilation and they were closed. After opening the vents people didn't get sick quite so much.
I sleep with a fan on every night,and usually have it running all day. Now getting fans for every room. Thanks doc!
Absolutely true! We have an exhaust in the ceiling to get rid of the smell that cooking food in the house brings. We also have 3 air cleaners with filters. A bigger one downstairs, the master's bedroom and in my daughter's bedroom. We partially open the sliding door, bathroom windows when we turn on the ceiling exhaust. We also have a humidifier (the air gets very dry when the heater is on or when it gets windy). My daughter got very sick for 3 weeks early 2020. Bad cough, congestion, high fever, body aches...weeks before covid was identified in the US. She had a preschool student that went home to China for the holidays. One day, her grandpa was sick so he pick her up from school early. We thought she had just a bad case of flu. So the air cleaners were on, the ceiling exhaust set on fan and the humidifier was on 24 hours. I caught what my daughter had in a mild way. Lost my taste for about two days and had a very bad cough and but didn't have fever. We got over it...drunk plenty of green tea with plenty of lemon juice and honey (not too sweet). I put about 1/3 tsp. Of turmeric, ginger ale and a dash of cayenne pepper for absorption. Turmeric prevents inflammation. We thrive by eating Lipton Soup Secrets chicken noodle soup. My son and my husband who stayed in the upstairs bedroom most of the time did not get sick. So ventilation and filtration realliy worked.
You may also want to consider indoor plants to clean the air, they can clean some chemicals that air filters may not, just make sure that they are pet safe.
Dr John Campbell been preaching this for awhile.
This video on healthy buildings with information presented by Professor Joseph Allen was A++. This past year I found out how little central air conditioner installation companies know or acknowledge knowing about ventilation, filtration, and air quality as it affects a human being as it was explained in this video. I found a lack of at least 3 AC companies with little ability to educate about important air quality human/environment determinants that should be part of their everyday work ethics. I was forced to live on my outside porch when expensive air filtration equipment was installed on my central air conditioning after requesting it due to Covid 19 concerns. I have had over $6,000 worth of new AC equipment removed and lost due to indoor air quality problems that I encountered immediately post installation. I have many concerns regarding indoor air quality and lack of oversight when it comes to rules, regulations, installation companies, air quality and health in home environments especially for seniors. Many thanks for this video I will pass on the importance of it to others.
5:32+: Glad you've always spoke up about ventilating.
HEPA filter and no bells & whistles
This guy is very passionate about his work and rightly so.
Ventilation in planes. It's encouraging to hear that air changes in planes is high and new have adequate HEPA filters (not previously universal). My query, is that passenger density in a plane is very high compared to most buildings and people are in there for hours rather than a few minutes possibly in some buildings (like a shop), so you'd need a much higher air change rate to give a safer environment.
I understand that the Chinese experience has been that many new arrivals appear to have been infected on the planes they were traveling on. Thankfully, ALL new arrivals HAVE to quarantine is specified quarantine hotels (at their own expense), and have multiple tests, now for periods up to 21 days.
Thank you for the excellent interview! As I was watching the last section about toxic chemicals, I decided to see what chemicals might be in masks. It appears that surgical masks and N95 masks both contain plastics, and that the material in some cloth masks might also be made with certain chemicals. Should we be concerned about breathing in any of those chemicals on a regular basis?
When it comes to indoor humidity, houseplants and aquariums can do a lot to raise humidity. Or even just putting a bowl of water somewhere in the room.
Surely kids being homeschooled would be getting fresher air. Since I started homeschooling my daughter she has never had a day sick whilst she would be sick for weeks on end at regular school. Now she is healthier and has learned so much more than when she was in the school system.
I love this! I actually just brought this up to my family earlier today because they mentioned how stuffy their home is and they thought I was nuts. lol!
Please do get Dr. Seheult on Show from time to time, otherwise we will worry about him, because we know he is working hard in ICU.
Thanks.
Thanks. How can those of us who live in rented flats/apartments protect ourselves from the infected ventilation air from next door and nearby flats? In my own case, the air from the next door flat goes straight into my bathroom, unfiltered. The reason I know this is because if someone is smoking in the flat next to mine, the smoke pours in through the bathroom ceiling duct*. The only thing I have been able to do is stuff the duct full of plastic bags, close the duct, and put sticky tape around the duct edges. But air still leaks in.
Another problem is ventilation on public transport. How do we protect ourselves when unfiltered air is re-circulated in a cramped space, such as a bus? I would love if you could give us more tips about these things in another video. Thank you for this video, it was very informative.
* : I have talked to the landlord about this problem. He could not care any less, nor has he done anything to correct the problem. He doesn't live in the flats, so he doesn't care if his tenants get infected and die. ;(
Eye opener regarding the importance of indoor ventilation and filtration and confirmation of the importance of mask wearing.
I really appreciate the information I learned from this interview. I am a high school science teacher and my classroom is on the third floor. There are no windows that open in the whole building so the air exchange is limited to the doors that open and close during class changes that occur on the first floor. I am pretty sure that there are no MERV 13 filters in place either and I have asked repeatedly and gotten no firm answers. I am really concerned about what will take place when students come back in a month. I have an exhaust fan that pulls air out of the room, but what is replacing that air? Hallway air most likely. Ventilation has been my biggest concern all along. I am forwarding a link to this video and to your safe schools information to the school board and to the superintendent. Thanks again so much!
Great video. Should be shown on TV so that people can understand the logic of wearing a mask.
I notice that since wearing a mask, I haven’t had any colds or flues either. Even when this covid crisis passes, I think I will wear a mask outdoor. Thank you for a great video that is intelligible to me as a non medical/scientific person.
🌲🌝☘️
Thank you for that tip on ionization!! 😱 That's making a lot of sense with some problems I am having
I've had several medical grade hepa iq air/rabbit air machines since 2008 as well as a UVC/HEPA in the main HVAC since last April. Have now also added quiet and passive air free devices in every room and a smaller plug in uvc in kitchen and all toilets. As well we do an outdoor air refresh at least twice a day for an hour or so.
If you live in a city there's a lit of grit and grime which will cover EVERYTHING if you leave your windows open too long.
Gee, I remember when a team of five including myself traveled from Oahu to San Diego on the same flight. We all came down with a horrific flu/bug. We were all out of commission for at least three days and still felt and looked like hell a week later. The only confined space we shared was the plane. Granted this was 2007 and I'm not up to date on changes made in the air filtering systems since then, but that was definitely where mass transmission occurred.
Finally an intelligent conversation on this important issue. In 1985 when I was a building inspector the Provincial government introduced energy saving measures into the 1985 Building Code in the form of extra insulation and airtight vapour barriers. As someone who had developed severe chemical senstitivies from working with toxic chemicals that brought me together with a doctor who worked with environmentally sensitive patients I was well aware of the importance of both ventilation and active filtration.
When the energy saving measures were introduced at the annual building inspectors conference I went up on the stage and said this was a terrible mistake that was going to endanger health and make a lot of people sick. The problem is this initiave was politically driven. So the focus of any metric was solely on energy savings to enable politicians to boast their actions had saved significant energy. There was no interest in considering ancilliary effects let alone looking for any. This experience taught me that the biggest threats to our health are often politically driven. I can’t even begin to imagine how many people suffered from poor ventilaton during COVID lockdowns. Thank you Professor Allen and MedCram
The high school I attended had asbestos on the ceilings. The dorm my daughter stayed in 6 years ago had asbestos on the ceilings. Talk about unhealthy buildings.
Thanks for having this well-informed guest on, Kyle!
Thanks, was glad to have the opportunity to chat with Prof. Allen
Looking forward to listening to this. Got two HEPA filters during quarantine, run a diffuser with anti-viral oils and water, and open windows everyday. Lots of houseplants as well. Hopefully on the right track :)
Humidity is always present where plants are. Therefore, a way to increase humidity inside and outside is surrounding yourself with plants
One thing to be aware of regarding CADR rating is that it assumes a certain fan speed and most of the machines have more than one speed. So, in order to achieve the desired CADR rating you will need to run your filter on that speed.
That’s how they treated TB years ago... up in the mountains and out in the air
Very good information! I'm going to have to do some upgrading around my apartment. This is my favorite channel for information to help me stay healthy. Thank you!
Three years ago we had our air conditioner worked on and while the service man was here, he suggested that we put a U.V., light in our air handling unit. This is ( for us ) was and is the best and most cost effective way to purify our whole home. We also have air purifiers with HEPA filters in our bedrooms as well. We’ve chosen to spend our money on this instead of vacations and the like. We are older though and have experienced the world at large before the advent of COVID. We also spend much time outdoors working in the yard and the like to get enough ventilation as well as boost our Vitamin ( hormone ) D.. ☺️🙏👑🌎🌍🌏👑🙏☀️🌬💦
My favorite air cleaner indoor is, defuser and eucalyptus essential oil 🪔 in winter ❄️.
Thank you for ur insights.
How is Dr Seheult during this outbreak in So Cal? I am praying for him and sending him strength, as he has given me in education!
My husband built a simple air purifier with 3 Hepa Filters and one fan.
I've been doing this method for half of my life. I haven't been seriously ill in five years....and will continue to do so!
That was useful. The problem is that many schools have terrible IAQ, aging HVAC systems and in some classrooms, windows that don't open, if there are windows! If we knew the investments in structures had been made...I hear your point that at-risk students (potential drop-outs, abused or neglected kids, food insecurity) are better off at school because their environments are not supportive or safe. But that is not true for every family. if you have the ability and resources to educate your child at home or use distance learning -- and I know not everyone does -- then I believe your child is more protected at home during a pandemic in situations where people are taking precautions. That's just math. The risk is reduced. My son has autism so he is twice as likely to suffer adverse effects and he is home. No easy answers here.
Excellent video! Thank you gentlemen! I’ll share this video with my kids teachers and send the info I complied from the video to the school district as well along with the pdf guide. Medcram has been a great source for me to keep up with this pandemic. Thank you both.
Good to hear, thank you
I am hearing impaired please allow written script or text on your u tube videos thank you
Thank you I’ve learn so much. “Ventilation is Key” outside of a Perfect World..
I bought 20” x 20” box fans and taped a 20” x 20” Merv13 filters to them. Works great! Plus I live in Florida so we keep our windows open as much as possible in the winter.
Hepta air purifiers do help tremendously, second nature to me. I recommend it highly.
One of the most eye-opening and informative videos I’ve watched. Thank you!
THANK YU THANK YOU!! I have followed you all since the beginning and it is so good to hear your collective wisdoms!
Yes, we have been learning , teaching and applying these ventilation procedures , for 40 years. However many facilities management staff like to cut corners and reduce costs, and they are taking a huge risk, with this kind of neglect. We have not even forgotten the illnesses and death cases from TB and leagenair diseases yet.
Great interview, Kyle! I learned a lot. Dr Allen was engaging, informative, and so interesting.
Thank you for this excellent interview! I have been looking for concise information on this topic since last spring.
Kyle, again thanks for all your great work and your dedication to keeping the public informed. Greatly appreciated. Have a non-alcoholic beer on me. Stay safe, everyone.
Thank you so much for all this informative videos and I’m so grateful to have stumbled upon your channel.
I simply love this channel, so thank you so much for All the information. Very scientific yet simple to understand 🤓
Thank you so much for this wonderful video: concise and informative.
This subject matter reminds me of some years back, flicking through a telemarketing channel, where I came across a welcomed dynamic air filter.
Masterfully designed by a multiple patented innovative elderly gentleman.
Comparing this latest study 📚, I’ll hunt down a HEPA packed unit now, Much Thanks 🙏🏻😄
I always have a window next to me open... I'm in menopause and have hot flashes. I sleep with a window cracked and a fan on. I have to boxed fans in my house where I taped a hepa filter to them and run them daily.
Open the damn windows
Thank you, Dr of common sense Tom Tracy!
Very interesting and useful discussion. I've never been more grateful for my non airtight home 😁 Add all the cleaning chemicals used in homes and we're living in toxic soup!
Great info. I have noticed a big difference in wound healing time and how a wound heals if you can get outside air pushed by a fan onto a wound. Heals much faster and better.
Great videos to inform people,Thank you so much. Hepa filters work I have 3 and now I don't need to be in a tent inside.
Oil defusers and scented everything has to Stop, please do what you can to help it's a huge issue to our immune system!
👏 Gentlemen your knowledge is priceless, Bravo!
IIRC airplanes use bypass air from the jet engines for ventilation. To run it during boarding would require a significant modification. There are several ways to reduce boarding times that cost nothing.
Just amaze that you have over 1 million subscribers. I was there from the start!! Always knew you were great!
Thank you. What an informative interview. I’ve learned a lot that I can pass along to my friends and family. I am disturbed hearing about the BPA whack a mole problem. I’ve been mindful of ventilation so we created a heated outdoor space. It’s cold here in WA State. I’m frustrated with the restaurants outdoor tents. They are not keeping sides open. It gives folks a false sense of security.
One of my go to experts in this time of pandemic, dr Joseph Allen. Aside from the medcram MDs and dr michael mina 🙌
Fantastic & Great info.I was wondering about this for awhile. Now I understand. Thank you!!
Great interview. Thank you. I can’t wait to buy the book.
Thank you so much for the information! Very comprehensive-I listened initially because of the COVID ventilation issue but really appreciated the “forever” chemicals discussion. We just watched “Dark Waters” last weekend about PFOA.
I can't believe I just found this. This is excellent!
Thank you for this information. I have shared with my Managers, my family and friends.
Thank you medcram for another forward-thinking, beneficial video interview.
What if you have a dozen house plants in your house specifically kept for their air cleaning qualities?
9/19/2021 - Thank you, this was a fantastic and very informative interview. I read allot and watch many holistic online health seminars. A great deal of the information that Professor Allen imparted is corroborated by the leading holistic health professionals who participate in online health seminars. Professor Allen was easy to understand and he provided allot of information in an interesting way without being overly technical. I will look for and watch all of Professor Allen's UA-cams. The interviewer was also very good.
Years ago hospitals opened windows. Why not now in some circumstances? I live in the South but I still open windows and door to screened porch first thing every morning.
Really enjoyed your information and presentation.
Professor Allen very intelligent and has done a lot to make schools safer against Covid.🙏
excellent, accessible, important information. well worth the time to watch.
Please please please keep up the wonderful work you do, we need you!
Thanks for the interesting discussion about how to enhance a healthy environment in my home
Very informative video! Thanks for posting it! Great advices and tips!
I live in Herefordshire and I sleep with my windows wide open all year round. I have a thick duvet and I close my door to keep the heat in the house. I am 60 and I'm fighting fit
Always learning something new from this channel
Thanks for the informative data. These tips will keep safety measures upper most in the minds for our new normal.
Thank you Kyle and guest for sharing your knowledge on ventilation. 👏 I open several windows in my home although I reside in Wisc. I learned about ventilation from Dr. Campbell. I open window in the car too.
All the schools in our area (Dallas suburb) have windows that are sealed shut and can’t be opened. I couldn’t believe it! Dr. Campbell has been promoting ventilation since early in the pandemic. My old run-down elementary school in Connecticut had big windows we would open thoughout the year (even winter) for fresh, refreshing air. My kids are back in school now in new, beautiful buildings with limited ventilation 🙁
Best place to be. On the windward side of an island with trade winds rushing thru the house. Its superior ventilation.
I have been in the hospital when windows could be open , and now they can't. I could breath , and felt much better with fresh air.
Great interview, very informative. Thank you so much!