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Environmental Health

Indoor Air Changes and Potential Implications for SARS-CoV-2 Transmission

Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article

1 Credit CME

JAMA

Published Online: April 16, 2021

JAMA Insights

Article Information and Disclosures

Joseph G. Allen, DSc, MPH¹;

Andrew M. Ibrahim, MD, MSc^2,3

Author Affiliations

¹T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
²Department of Surgery, Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
³HOK Architects, Chicago, Illinois

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Article Information

Corresponding Author: Joseph G. Allen, DSc, MPH, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (jgallen@hsph.harvard.edu).

Published Online: April 16, 2021. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.5053

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Ibrahim reports receiving payments from HOK Architects in his role as a senior principal and chief medical officer. Dr Allen owns 9 Foundations Inc, which has provided consulting regarding COVID-19 risk reduction strategies across many sectors, including education, real estate, government, private entities, and faith-based organizations. Dr Allen has also received consulting fees from for-profit organizations, including serving as a scientific advisor for Carrier Corporation.

References

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. National Academy of Sciences; October 2020.

Lerner AM , Folkers GK , Fauci AS . Preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 with masks and other “low-tech” interventions. JAMA. 2020;324(19):1935-1936. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.21946 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

The Lancet COVID-19 Commission Task Force on Safe Work, Safe School, and Safe Travel. Six priority areas. The Lancet COVID-19 Commission; 2021.

Li Y , Leung GM , Tang JW , et al. Role of ventilation in airborne transmission of infectious agents in the built environment: a multidisciplinary systematic review. Indoor Air. 2007;17(1):2-18. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2006.00445.x PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Sundell J , Levin H , Nazaroff WW , et al. Ventilation rates and health: multidisciplinary review of the scientific literature. Indoor Air. 2011;21(3):191-204. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2010.00703.x PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Luongo JC , Fennelly KP , Keen JA , et al. Role of mechanical ventilation in the airborne transmission of infectious agents in buildings. Indoor Air. 2016;26(5):666-678. doi:10.1111/ina.12267 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. ANSI/ASHRAE standards and guidelines to address COVID-19. Accessed April 9, 2021. https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/ashrae-standards-and-guidelines

Persily A . Challenges in developing ventilation and indoor air quality standards: the story of ASHRAE Standard 62. Build Environ. 2015;91:61-69. doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.02.026 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Fisk WJ . The ventilation problem in schools: literature review. Indoor Air. 2017;27(6):1039-1051. doi:10.1111/ina.12403 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Allen J , Macomber J. Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity. Harvard University Press; 2020.

AMA CME Accreditation Information

Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
1.00 CME points in the American Board of Surgery’s (ABS) Continuing Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.