carbon dioxide and covid

[redbird]

Carbon dioxide concentration isn't just a proxy for covid risk in a given location: higher levels of CO₂ increase the risk of covid infection.

The explanation is that adding CO₂ to the room air makes it more acidic, and the covid virus survives longer in more acidic air.

When I mentioned this on a Discord server, someone else noted that carbon dioxide concentration is not always a useful proxy for covid risk. In particular, the air on commercial airline flights is recirculated and well-filtered. The filtration removes airborne viruses, but not carbon dioxide. This doesn't change my analysis, that if I need to unmask briefly to do something like take a pill, the safest time is during the flight, not in the airport or on the tarmac.


(via Ruth Anne Crystal's "covid news and more" newsletter.)

Comments

[the_siobhan]

Oh interesting. I carry a CO2 monitor already, so that confirms that decision.

[vass]

Thank you for the heads-up.

[joseph_teller]

Airline filters do not remove all airborne viruses, they use HEPA filters but the maintenance record on aircraft on commercial flights are not held to as often as they should (approx every 500 hours of usage they need to be cleaned, not a fast process).

[noachoc]

Further evidence that I should pack as many plants in my house as possible =D

[ethelmay]

Unfortunately, while I like other people's house plants fine, I am not plant-minded enough to take care of very many, and my three or so are not a hundredth of what I'd need to absorb a significant quantity of CO2.

[noachoc]

Ah well. If you ever want to come over and breathe at my house, let me know.