EPA encourages businesses to improve indoor air quality
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About the series
Case rates in the U.S. continue to decline, although we see an uptick in reported new COVID-19 cases in the Northeast. The Omicron strain BA.2 continues to gain steam; it now represents almost 60% of new cases, and close to three-quarters of cases in New England and the New York area. Hospitalizations are declining in almost all states, and U.S. COVID-19 hospitalization rates (about 1,500 a day) are the lowest since early in the pandemic. Wastewater surveillance reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to paint a mixed picture; 207 sites report a decrease in viral particles detected while 248 report an increase.
The Institute for Health Metrics Evaluation at the University of Washington projects continuing declines in new COVID-19 cases through mid-summer, although many experts expect a second Omicron wave. Immunity from a combination of vaccination and immunization is high, so a wave of hospitalizations and deaths similar to the first Omicron wave in early winter is less likely.
The best way to prevent transmission of illness is through environmental approaches that require little or, best of all, no action on the part of individuals. Employees get the health benefits of clean indoor air without having to put on masks or change their behavior.
There are three basic ways to decrease transmission through improving indoor air quality:
A study from over 10,000 classrooms in Italy showed that the rate of COVID-19 infections was cut by 80% in classrooms with more than six air exchanges per hour compared to those with stagnant air.
Source: David Hume Foundation
Ensuring high quality indoor air can help employers protect all employees regardless of their immune status and their willingness to be vaccinated and boosted. Cleaner indoor air also means less spread of other respiratory diseases, including influenza and tuberculosis. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge encouraging businesses to take action to improve indoor air quality, and the White House has announced that funds from the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law might be available to help companies make investments to improve their indoor air.
Studies show that breathing cleaner air can not only prevent infections but also can also improve attention and performance. Children in Georgia who were switched from diesel to electric school buses had higher test scores.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC authorized a second booster shot for those over age 50 and for the immunocompromised to be administered at least four months after the last vaccination. Both agencies made this decision without convening panels of outside experts after two studies showed that second boosters increased immunity and decreased hospitalization and severe illness in these groups. Those who got a second booster in this large study with short follow-up had four to five times fewer deaths. The CDC fell short of recommending the second booster – but rather says those over age 50 and those over age 12 with compromised immune systems are eligible for a second booster.
For individuals the risk associated with a booster is very low, and the potential benefit is substantial for those over age 60 and those with diseases or drug treatment that could impair their immune systems. But the benefits are likely smaller for those who are already up to date on vaccination (boosted) and had a recent COVID-19 infection.
I’m in the age group now eligible for a booster, and for my own safety and the safety of those around me I’ve already gotten mine.
Age | Primary series option | First booster | Second booster | Immuno-compromised |
---|---|---|---|---|
<5 | No vaccine available yet | |||
5 to 11 | 2 Pfizer | Not recommended | Not recommended | Third primary dose but no booster (3 total) *NEW* |
12 to 17 | 2 Pfizer | Pfizer only | Not recommended | Third primary dose and 2 boosters (5 total) *NEW* |
18 to 50 | 2 Pfizer, 2 Moderna or 1 J&J |
Pfizer or Moderna | Not recommended | Third primary dose and 2 boosters (5 total) *NEW* |
50+ | 2 Pfizer, 2 Moderna or 1 J&J |
Pfizer or Moderna | Pfizer or Moderna *NEW* |
Third primary dose and 2 boosters (5 total) *NEW* |
Jeff is an internal medicine physician and has led WTW’s clinical response to COVID-19 and other health-related topics. He has served in leadership roles in provider organizations and a health plan and is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Chan School of Public Health.