Germany to make ventilation and opening windows a part of the strategy of dealing with coronavirus

[YellowWave]

Look at this:

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/germans-embrace-fresh-air-to-ward-off-coronavirus

Germany is making ventilation a key component to fighting the coronavirus spread. Makes sense. At home the windows are usually open. I open windows at work for ventilation, especially now and for safety reasons for the virus in case anyone is infectious and we don't know it yet.

I am a nanny and the family I work for is absolutely allergic to having some windows open. I hate it. I go about opening windows to ventilating the place to try and keep us all safe. But they go around closing them again.

It's not really relevant, but in Germany and Scandinavia houses are built to be absolutely draft free and are generally run a lot warmer so you have to open the windows if you don't want to suffocate. No Victorian airbricks to make sure the fireplace burns or funny trickle vents in windows!

@AriettyHomily

My office of 1500 people in the City has no openable windows.

Aren't most (all) of you working from home now though?

They aren't going to - this has been in place since May. We are constantly sent emails telling us to have windows open as much as possible and at least ten minutes of every hour, as well as to wear masks and observe the other rules (live and work in Bavaria).

Very sensible, none of us get enough fresh air....unless you're a farmer or similar! I'm forever opening windows at work, and at home they're open all the time even through winter.

I would be much happier at work if we made use of the window but apparently a pandemic doesn’t override the eternal office temperature debate...

It’s good but my old work was up pretty high with vast glazing that didn’t open (obviously)

Although having rtft they probably are back wfh

TheSeedsOfADream All the Italians I know tend to air out all their windows in the morning, and sometimes stick the pillows etc out. So we're ok with some fresh air

I keep mine open most of the day (in the UK) but our flat is south facing and gets v hot.

A good idea.

I work in a school. It's so hot and stuffy when I get in (the thermostat really doesn't need to be so high and money spent on heating would be welcomed elsewhere). Even in winter, I walk straight in and open the windows. Even doing this, it's hot and children are sat there in just polo shirts.

ventilation in germany is not leaving the windows open all day. airvents on windows are seen as weird. you could die of a draft, you know
ventilation means opening all windows as far as they go a few times a day. if I read correctly, for schools and offices they advise to open windows wide for a few minutes every 45 min.

when I moved into a flat in germany I was given an 'airing table' with the rental contract.

It can be freezing cold with several feet of snow in a German winter. I wonder how this will work?

We have this guidance at work already under our covid risk assesment.

notevenat20 the same way it slways has probably. I've lived in Bavaria for 13 years and yes, we get lots of snow most winters, but thats never stopped anyone airing their houses - most Germans are fairly religious about regular airing IME, whilst also wearing generally more clothing than British people and disliking/ veing afraid of drafts... People usually air rooms for a short period then clise the window for a while, but ive slept with the bedroom window tilted open (which British windows don't do) through all the winters I've lived here (warm duvet, cold room).

sorry about typos!

YABU with respect to your job.

You work in a family home: U to seek to impose your preferences with windows etc!

I sleep all through winter with the windows wide open and never get ill so I'll be carrying on as before (plus lots of vitamin C).

German windows are amazing - but i agree its because they are normally shut that everyone flungs them open to shuft the air around gor a bit.

I have a constant breeze through the air brick, down the chimney and badly fitted windows in the uk.

My husband’s office of 500 people in the city have been told that ALL windows must be open at all times for ventilation. It is a grade 2 listed building so they are not allowed to install either a ventilation system or a newer (better) heating system.
Did I mention it’s on the river?

They really are talking about opening them wide for time in the morning and the evening for 10-15 mins. Germans are petrified of a draught and blame it for all illnesses so windows won’t be left open all day

My youngest goes to college for young adults with SNs and the windows are kept open all day. They were all told from the start that they had to make sure they had warm clothing. I’m not sure how it’s going to work in the really cold winter, tbh as many of the children, due to underlying conditions will feel the cold more. In saying that, I can understand why they’re doing it as many of the students have underlying conditions.

If the virus is airborne then wouldn't it blow in when someone contagious walks by open windows?

I think I would like to live in Germany after reading that.

I would in an environment where we have no opening windows and the air con is currently off due to circulating air.

I don’t think you can dictate whether your employer has windows open or not. Are you live in?

Btw the information that you’ve given on here could be quite identifying. Are you happy for them to find out that you are speaking about them?

I've started opening more windows at home and opened the office window when I popped in for a day.
Germany are being sensible as usual.