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.

Me too - in a pram on the balcony for air.
It used to aid in the cure of tb - people in hospitals sleeping outside at all types of temperatures.

For years environmental legislation has lead us to remove opening windows in favour of forced air conditioning. I'm not sure what is better but I'm used to the latter.

@YellowWave

There's nothing to protect me in my job. I keep opening windows and the parents are at home, working from home and one or the other of them keeps coming around closing them. I'm so sick of it. I'm opening some windows to ventilate the place and to try and keep us all safe in case I have the virus and I don't know about it yet and in case they have the virus and are infectious before symptoms appear.

The parents were out abroad last week with a child for hospital treatment on the contintent and they are in a quarantine or self isolation period. By right they probably shouldn't have me here and by right I probably shouldnt be here working. They dressed up the situation as them quarantining and self isolation in their rooms. Of course that's not happening.

I have a good mind to give them an absolute fright and go out to a party at the weekend and take up smoking just to develop a cough. See if they like a potential exposure.

You don't need to leave the Windows open all day. You just need to get a good through draft going for 10-15 mins a couple of times s day.

@bumblingbovine49

Ideally windows in indoor communal environments should be open at all times.

This would be one easy and cost-free way to reduce infections this winter.

[quote Ecosse]@bumblingbovine49

Ideally windows in indoor communal environments should be open at all times.

This would be one easy and cost-free way to reduce infections this winter.[/quote]
Well maybe it would be cost effective but I would be miserable in winter so I'd prefer not to have them open all the time if I can help it Then again I am one of those people who can't concentrate when I am cold. I find it very difficult to work. Lots of people on here seem to feel the same when they are too hot but I can concentrate fine in the heat.

All this talk about keeping windows open all the time during the winter is the first time I have balked at what we are being asked to do.
Masks everywhere - fine whatever
WFH - ok. I find it very hard and prefer the office but ok
Don't socialise too much - well not great but ok
Keep 2 m distance - fine
Don't see friends and family - well okayyy but for how long??

Keep windows open all day in winter- One step too far. Everything else I can tolerate but that really would make me miserable. I can cope with opening them for a short time but not all day. Never have I been happier to WFH where I can control my own windows!

Sorry too many emoticons there. Not sure what happened

Ecosse you just keep pushing the most extreme scenario.

Sounds fine to me, but I'm another one that likes to open windows to air the house out every morning.

@ScaramoucheFandango

To be frank we need to get through this winter without lockdowns and bans on social interaction if we want to have an economy left and not have huge mental health issues.

Things like opening windows have a significant impact on transmission but are effectively cost-free. It would be one way to keep pubs and schools open imo.

From the mention of co2 monitors I'm guessing that in Germany they are using that as a proxy measure to say we've breathed enough into this packet of air to reach a potentially bad level of virus and it's time to open the windows , briefly, for exchange of air.

That in itself would help whilst not going so far as freezing everyone the whole time.

On buses and trains they just need to repeat the message and open the windows at turnabout.

All doors and windows open in my school. Already pissed off with whinging colleagues who are incapable of keeping 2 metres away from anyone but want to close the windows because they are cold.

The students are much more adaptable. They aren’t supposed to wear coats in class (not entirely sure why) but of course no-one is going to say anything if they quietly drape them over their laps like blankets. I’m also turning a blind eye to blankets being tucked round legs and subtly clutched hot water bottles. It does get chilly sitting still (even in several layers of polyester).

My husband a s I don't agree on this. I always open all the doors and windows as a routine while I'm having a shower and he always moans about it and says as the house is a very old one with cracks around the doors it is well ventilated anyway!

www.tropos.de/en/current-issues/press-releases/details/coronavirus-sars-cov-2-breitet-sich-bei-niedriger-luftfeuchtigkeit-in-innenraeumen-staerker-aus
From the Studies thread - translated into English.
Relative humidity can either help or hinder transmission and distances travelled in the air. If air is heated artificially it can lose a lot of its water content quickly and drop to the too dry level.
I lived in Austria and was warned that the region had naturally very dry air in winter (was encouraged to increase humidity indoors if using heating).
I got a relative humidity monitor for our rooms recently and have been keeping an eye on it. Although the house is modern, warm and doesn't feel either damp or dry, the readings are usually right at the top of the 'ok' level (so more moisture) every morning, then drop slightly during the day.