4
Everyday Dangers
While our attention has been on the risk of
aerosolized viral transmission, it should not be
our only concern. Every day, we are exposed to
hidden dangers that impact our health. These
are called PM 2.5 (particulate matter at 2.5
microns or less in width).
Similar to airborne viruses in size, PM 2.5
particles have a significant impact on our
overall health. In fact, they contribute to over
7 million premature deaths worldwide every
year. Poor air quality is truly a silent killer that
needs to be addressed. The majority of our
exposure to concentrated PM 2.5 is in our
homes, offices, gyms, and other public spaces.
Most ventilation is inadequate and propagates
these pollutants, increasing the concentrations
we are exposed to rather than filtering them out.
Before the pandemic, indoor air quality
(IAQ) was a known problem, but it wasn't a
mainstream topic of discussion. COVID-19
revived debate of air quality issues that are
quickly enveloping us. This is now a widely
reported, serious subject we see in everyday
media. We now read daily warnings regarding
IAQ, poor ventilation, and the combined impact
that both have on our everyday health. So,
other than risk of viral transmission, what are
the additional safety hazards associated with
poor IAQ? Consider the 7 million premature
deaths associated with poor air quality every year.
More than 300,000 of those deaths
are right here in the Americas.
