Air humidification inside healthcare facilities: why it is so important?
Air humidification inside healthcare facilities: why it is so important?
Regulating air humidity is of fundamental importance for healthcare facilities, as the health conditions of patients, correct functioning of medical equipment, well-being of doctors and visitors depend on it.
First of all, humidity strongly affects the capability of bacteria to develop, propagate and overcome our defenses. Therefore, if suitably managed, it can result in an excellent tool to limit the number of hospital infections, and safeguard health.
The true challenge when managing humidity therefore goes from eliminating pathogens to impeding their transmission and helping our natural defenses to ward them off.
Several researches suggest how relative humidity is the most important factor in environmental control for the airborne transmission of bacteria and viruses.
A first study, conducted for one year in a US hospital, monitored all environmental parameters in ten rooms as well as the medical conditions of the patients who stayed in these rooms. Relative humidity was the variable with the closest connection to the number of infections contracted by the patients. When relative humidity reached and exceeded 40%, infections were drastically reduced from a maximum of 10/month to zero!
Read the full paper HERE
Further resources:
- “Air humidification in hospitals” white paper https://www.carel.com/-air-humidification-in-hospitals-white-paper
- Carel Healthcare website https://healthcare.carel.com/