Mitigating COVID-19 In Public Spaces

What can the hospitality industry do to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19? Part is recognizing that HVAC systems play a role in mitigating the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19.1 At the beginning of the pandemic, hospitality facilities, including hotels and restaurants, quickly aligned with guidance from the CDC,2,3 WHO4 and other credible organizations such as ASHRAE5,6 by adjusting operating guidelines to increase outdoor air dilution and improve filtration, where possible, while maintaining guest and associate comfort. This article discusses a comprehensive study recently conducted by the authors to investigate the efficacy of portable air purifiers to improve air quality in public spaces.