David PS
Member
Low ambient humidity impairs barrier function and innate resistance against influenza infection
Atmospheric moisture as an important weather-related factor in flu transmission. Indoor humidity may be especially relevant this winter. The mainstream media (MSM) does not seem to be interested in reporting on things that are not endorsed by the CDC. Everyone must be waiting for a double blinded placebo controlled study.
The key seems to be humidity levels indoors, where people gather (and cough) during cold weather. Because it takes less moisture to saturate cold air than warm air, there can easily be high relative humidity (RH) outdoors on a bitterly cold day. However, once that air is heated to room temperature, the RH plummets.
Laboratory and epidemiological studies strongly suggest that the flu is transmitted more readily when the RH is low. At higher RH, the virus appears to be less stable, and the small virus-bearing droplets sent into the air by a cough seem more likely to attract water vapor and fall out of the air before infecting someone else. There’s also evidence that the flu grows more readily in a dry upper respiratory tract.
It seems the sweet-spot is between 40% and 60% RH. Above 60% your more likely to provide an environment that grows mold.
I live in an area where it gets very cold outside and very dry inside during the winter months. My approach this winter is to monitor my indoor RH and try to keep it in the sweet-spot. To do this I purchased a Digital Hygrometer. Here is a link to the one I selected from Amazon. I check my gadget everyday and my indoor RH is still within the 40-60% range. When the freezing cold winter weather finally arrives and my indoor RH drops, I will use a humidifier. I choose Homech Cool Mist Humidifier. Yet another gadget. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085CD13TL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Atmospheric moisture as an important weather-related factor in flu transmission. Indoor humidity may be especially relevant this winter. The mainstream media (MSM) does not seem to be interested in reporting on things that are not endorsed by the CDC. Everyone must be waiting for a double blinded placebo controlled study.
The key seems to be humidity levels indoors, where people gather (and cough) during cold weather. Because it takes less moisture to saturate cold air than warm air, there can easily be high relative humidity (RH) outdoors on a bitterly cold day. However, once that air is heated to room temperature, the RH plummets.
Laboratory and epidemiological studies strongly suggest that the flu is transmitted more readily when the RH is low. At higher RH, the virus appears to be less stable, and the small virus-bearing droplets sent into the air by a cough seem more likely to attract water vapor and fall out of the air before infecting someone else. There’s also evidence that the flu grows more readily in a dry upper respiratory tract.
It seems the sweet-spot is between 40% and 60% RH. Above 60% your more likely to provide an environment that grows mold.
I live in an area where it gets very cold outside and very dry inside during the winter months. My approach this winter is to monitor my indoor RH and try to keep it in the sweet-spot. To do this I purchased a Digital Hygrometer. Here is a link to the one I selected from Amazon. I check my gadget everyday and my indoor RH is still within the 40-60% range. When the freezing cold winter weather finally arrives and my indoor RH drops, I will use a humidifier. I choose Homech Cool Mist Humidifier. Yet another gadget. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085CD13TL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1