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Regulating indoor air

A group of 39 scientists are calling for public health reforms for indoor air quality, similar to how the government enacted regulations for clean water, food safety and to ban lead-based paint.

The manifesto of sorts, published today in the journal Science, called for a “paradigm shift” as virus cases fall and Americans slowly return to a host of indoor spaces.

The authors point to extensive research showing that the coronavirus can linger in the air indoors, floating far beyond the recommended six feet of distance. That puts the onus on policymakers and building engineers to provide clean air in public buildings and minimize risk of respiratory infections, they wrote.

The fixes, they argue, can be simple: adding filters to existing ventilation systems, using portable air cleaners and ultraviolet lights, or even just opening the windows where possible.