People remember the prevention guidelines published by the CDC that we pushed a few days ago? It briefly hinted at a few simple anti-virus actions for driving, and many of you read the article and asked some extended questions.
To that end, we asked our expert friends at Lifetime to talk about driving virus prevention-related queries all at once today!
For example:
Do you wear a mask when driving or not?
Is it possible to block viruses by turning on the internal circulation in a confined place?
Does a car purifier destroy viruses?
Do ozone and ultraviolet light actually kill viruses?
......
Q1: Should I wear a mask when driving or not?
A: It depends on the situation.
Professor Zhang Wenhong, director of the Department of Infection at Huashan Hospital and head of Shanghai's medical treatment expert group
According to Professor Zhang Wenhong's book, "New Crown Virus Tips for Prevention and Control," we can learn that he has several suggestions for wearing a face mask:
1, public **** places, densely populated areas, confined places, or taking public **** transportation, etc., need to come into contact with strangers Wear a mask when.
2, alone or in an open space, you do not need to wear a mask.
So it seems, if the car alone or containing a clear health condition of the person, open the windows and external circulation, in fact, is not the same as in the open space, so do not need to bring a mask.
On the contrary, it is recommended to wear a mask and turn on the air-conditioning internal circulation when driving in crowded areas and confined places (e.g. underground parking lots).
Another situation is when you are carrying an unfamiliar passenger or friend, it is recommended that both parties wear masks, try to get the passenger to sit in the back, keep a distance from the driver's seat, and turn on the external air conditioning or open the windows to let the air circulate.
Q2: Why do I need to turn on the external air-conditioning in an open environment?
A: To increase the air circulation rate.
For this, the CDC has previously given the corresponding methods, such as ventilation in open places, air conditioning in closed environments to open the internal circulation.
Additionally, according to the National Health Construction Commission senior level expert group member, academician Li Lanjuan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the new coronavirus can only survive for 48 hours in dry environments, while the survival time in the air is even shorter.
So, driving in the open environment, open the external circulation or open the window can be maximized to avoid the virus retained in the car.
When it comes to efficient air changes, windows that open diagonally (e.g., left front and right rear) are one of the most efficient ways to change air. Also, if it's cool, cocking the sunroof to allow negative pressure inside the car has the same effect.
Additionally, there's another thing that may not be clear to you: both the internal and external circuits pass through the external air conditioning filter.
Generally, our cars have two layers of air conditioning filtration, and the outer air conditioning filters are just under the front windshield, with two grids underneath them.
Their function is to prevent foreign dust from entering the evaporator box, so whether you're driving an internal or external cycle, you have to go through it.
And the interior air conditioning filter is under the dashboard, and it's the anti-PM2.5 air conditioning filter that we often change, which further filters the air outside of the car during the internal cycle.
So it seems, our car is like wearing two layers of masks can isolate the outside air ah, then the virus will not be able to enter?
Wrong, it can still get in ......
Q3: Can the internal circulation in a confined place block the virus?
A: No, it can't.
While the CDC's recommendation is to "turn on the internal circulation in confined places," in fact, even then it can't stop the virus from intruding, why?
Taking the most common PM2.5 air conditioning filter as an example, the diameter of PM2.5 particles is about 2.5 microns, which is basically equivalent to one-twentieth the size of a hair.
This kind of air conditioning filter is actually good at filtering dust larger than or equal to 2.5 microns and even some bacteria, but it can't do anything about viruses.
The reason is simple, because viruses are in the nanometer size. Take the new coronavirus for example, its diameter is between 60~140nm, with an average diameter of 100nm, or 0.1 micron.
So even the largest of the new coronaviruses is only about one-tenth the size of PM2.5 particles, and it's not that easy to protect against it.
However, there are some models with HEPA air conditioning filters that can, even theoretically, filter such nanometer-sized viruses.
Then in the process of driving, other parts of the vehicle (such as door seals, cabin firewalls, etc.) of the airtightness in the generation of negative pressure can not allow us to truly isolated from the outside world, outside the pollutants will still be "sucked" into the car.
So, although the car's dual air-conditioning filter has been relatively safe, but if you go through a crowded or closed environment, in order to ensure that nothing is wrong, it is still recommended to wear a mask.
After adding the specific methods of driving protection, we will then talk about the future of this new crown virus may spawn the car protection antivirus peripheral, analyze these accessories in the end there is no use?
Q4: Do negative ion purifiers work?
A: Theoretically it may work, but it is not proven.
Many of my friends have negative ion purifiers in their homes, and its principle of dust removal is to use a high-voltage corona to increase the negative ion content in the air, which adsorbs microscopic dust and settles to the ground.
How big can this adsorbed dust be? It depends on the size of the negative ions produced, generally speaking, there are large, medium and small three kinds of negative ions, these kinds of negative ions have different speed of movement, diameter and biological activity.
Which is beneficial to the human body is a small particle size negative ions, this negative ion is also the closest to the nature of the air in the negative ions, so it is also known as some of the information "ecological level of negative ions".
And it is this negative ion that may help to adsorb viruses.
According to China's negative air ions and ozone research society expert group prepared by the "negative air ions in health care and environmental protection in the application of the book" mentioned:
"Small particle size negative ions in the air as small as 0.01 microns, difficult to remove in the industrial particles of dust, there is a hundred percent of the effect of the removal of sedimentation. When the concentration of negative ions in indoor air reaches 20,000 per cubic centimeter, the amount of airborne dust will be reduced by more than 98 percent."
So it seems that if there is such a negative ion generator in the car, wouldn't that get rid of viruses?
Well, let's put it this way, imagination is nice, reality is boring.
First of all, you have to buy a car ultra-micro-particle purifier, or can produce small particle size negative ions of that kind (not the kind of hundreds of dollars).
Secondly, even if you don't buy it from Namiyuki, then you have to wait for the concentration of negative ions to fill the entire car during use before you can adsorb ultra-tiny particles or viruses.
The most important thing to come, these ultra-tiny particles or viruses settled into the car will still be raised ah, and then purified, and then raised, the process, if there is a virus has been sucked in several times ......
Q5: adsorption of filtration, electrostatic dust collection can be anti-virus?
A: Theory may work, but not proven.
Similar to the principle of negative ion purifiers, including filtration adsorption type purifiers or electrostatic dust collection type air purifiers have the effect of purifying air.
Some purifiers can even adsorb and filter particles or viruses around 10~100nm, which is enough to filter the new crown virus.
But don't be too happy, it has the same problem as negative ion purifiers, that is, it can only adsorb, can't kill the virus, and placing such a thing in the car is equivalent to gathering the virus on the filter.
To kill them, you still need to clean the filter behind the purifier with a disinfectant such as alcohol or chlorine dioxide.
Wait a minute, so we've been talking about all kinds of purifiers, but it's not as reliable as spraying alcohol before and after you get in the car to disinfect it. So, the partners see this should know why the beginning of the sterilization is the most important right.
However, just now also mentioned some with negative oxygen ion purifier even claimed to have "biochemical anti-virus" models, their purification system in the end there is no publicity so cattle?
Interested partners comment area, we will be based on the results of the feedback and then do a related content Oh ~ ~
Back to business, speaking of which, some people may feel that the spray alcohol disinfection is too much trouble, not thorough, then there is no equipment that can kill the virus in the car?
Theoretically, there is~~
Q6: Is it useful to kill viruses with ultraviolet light?
A: It works, but not inside the car.
According to the "Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Program for New Coronavirus Infections (Trial Fourth Edition)" issued by the National Health and Wellness Commission, we can learn that coronavirus is sensitive to ultraviolet light and heat.
Ultraviolet light sterilizing effect mainly acts on nucleic acid (RNA), so that proteins are affected and thus inactivated, so most of them are effective, whether it is the skin, bacteria, or viruses, fungi.
New Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is precisely through the nucleic acid (RNA) replication, so the corresponding band of ultraviolet light can be under certain irradiation conditions can kill the virus.
However, UV light is more directly harmful to people than the virus. It can cause damage to the skin, eyes, and central nervous system, and may cause headaches, skin irritation, and in severe cases, cataracts or cancer.
So, those who want to install LED UV lamps to disinfect their cars should give up before it's too late!
And, just imagine: dark night, empty and uninhabited streets, passing cars cab are lit with dim UV ...... that scene ...... directly urinate well.
But the sun's rays are also 13% UV, so can we put the car in a sunny place to kill the virus?
The idea is good, but the effect will not be ideal, there are two main points:
1, most of the models of the factory front windshield comes with UV protection, and the side windows of the light is not enough, and many parts of the car does not shine.
2, most people buy a car after the film, so the UV rays that can shine into the car is minimal, almost no toxic effect.
However, knowing this, you can actually buy an LED UV sterilizer lamp to use to sterilize the mask.
While masks can be reused when you haven't been in contact with a patient or suspected patient. But just to be sure, there's really no harm in using a UV lamp to sterilize the mask after you get home.
Oh yes, the UV lamp must be placed in a place where people (especially children) can not see and touch Oh~~
Q7: Is ozone sterilization useful?
A: Unproven and do not use.
Remember the SARS battle 17 years ago? At that time, the China Ozone Industry Association Technical Committee experts, the director of the National P3 Laboratory, Professor Li Zelin presided over the use of ozone to inactivate the SARS virus experiments.
The comprehensive inactivation rate of SARS virus in the experiment on green monkey kidney cell inoculation reached 99.22%, and after three repetitions of the test, all reached a high inactivation efficiency, the experiment was a complete success.
However, although this time the new coronavirus and the year's SARS has more than 85% homology, but in fact, as of now, there is no relevant experiments and results to confirm, so the ozone sterilization, we do not try!
In addition, low concentration of ozone has a disinfecting and sterilizing effect (household ozone machine), but high concentration of ozone (industrial ozone generator) will cause harm to people, such as sore throat, dizziness triggered by bronchitis or emphysema and other diseases.
Serious also cause neurotoxicity, destruction of autoimmune function may cause cardiovascular disease and even cancer.
So you must not lose a little, do not listen to antivirus rumors to buy ozone generators, ozone machines and other equipment, even if the home ozone machine should be used in the case of no one.
Summary
Finally, I would like to remind all of you that our cars are not biochemical isolation chambers and do not have the ability to disinfect at all, so don't think that it's 100% safe to be in a car or to do as much as possible without going out.
Of course, if you have to go out, you should prefer a private car, after all, the environment inside the car is relatively closed and controllable. And if you've got a suspected patient, remember to sanitize your car in a timely manner!
According to the latest news, there have been cases of the new coronavirus spreading through door handles, so in addition to disinfecting your car and clothing, be sure to wash your hands regularly! It's best to wash your hands with a professional sanitizer!
And, even if you don't drive, remember not to rub your eyes with your hands when you're out and about! Don't pick your nose! Don't let your hands touch any internal mucous membranes!
Finally, it is recommended that you keep an eye on the official progress of the outbreak, don't believe the rumors, don't spread the rumors, and go out less! Be a good citizen! Work together to reduce the burden for the country! Let's cheer for our country together!
This article comes from the authors of Motor Home Car Family, and does not represent the views of Motor Home's position.