Effects of various respiratory activities on human aerosol emissions: experimental design and preliminary results

This study combines particle measurements and acoustic measurements to study aerosols generated in breathing, speaking, singing and coughing. Particle measurements are carried out using a portable measurement chamber designed specially for the study. Acoustic measurements of voice production are conduced to standardize measurements in human aerosol emission and to reveal possible reasons for the individual differences in particle generation. Understanding mechanisms of human aerosol generation is important in trying to understand how the airborne transmission of pathogens takes place and furthermore in assessing how to minimize the risk of transmission. The results can be used in the context of all airborne diseases. © 2022 17th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2022. All rights reserved.

SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination on a COVID-19 ward and at home - Extended Abstract to INDOOR AIR 2022

SARS-CoV-2 has been detected both in air and on surfaces, but questions remain about the patient-specific and environmental factors affecting virus transmission to the environment. Additionally, more detailed information on viral findings in the air is needed. In this cross-sectional study, we present results from 259 air and 252 surface samples from the surroundings of 23 hospitalized and eight home-treated COVID-19 patients between July 2020 and March 2021 and compare the results between the measured environments and patient factors. In four cases, positive environmental samples were detected even after the patients had developed a neutralizing IgG response. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in multiple particle sizes and different air samplers. Appropriate infection control against airborne and surface transmission routes is needed in both environments, even after antibody production has begun. © 2022 17th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2022. All rights reserved.

Comparison of aerosol generation between electrocautery and cold dissection tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 can spread through aerosols produced by surgical procedures, but knowledge of the extent of aerosol production and the risk posed by many common procedures does not exist. This study analysed aerosol generation during tonsillectomy and how it differs between distinct surgical techniques and instruments. The results can be used in risk assessment during current and future pandemics and epidemics. METHOD: An optical particle sizer was used to measure particle concentrations generated during tonsillectomy from the perspectives of the surgeon and other staff. Coughing is commonly used as a reference for high-risk aerosol generation; therefore, coughing and the operating theatre's background concentration were chosen as reference values. Different instruments were also compared to find the safest way to perform the tonsillectomy from the perspective of airborne transmission. RESULTS: Eighteen tonsillectomies were evaluated; all techniques mostly generated less than 1 µm particles. For the surgeon, bipolar electrocautery significantly exceeded the particle generation of coughing in both total and less than 1 µm particles and was found to produce significantly higher total and less than 1 µm aerosol concentrations than cold dissection and BiZact. No technique exposed other staff to a greater aerosol concentration than is generated by a cough. CONCLUSION: Bipolar electrocautery generated high aerosol concentrations during tonsillectomy; cold dissection generated significantly less. The results support cold dissection as the primary tonsillectomy technique, particularly during the epidemics of airborne diseases.

Rhinological procedures result in minimal generation of aerosols.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 and other respiratory infections spread through aerosols produced in respiratory activities and in certain surgical procedures considered as aerosol-generating procedures (AGP). Due to manipulation of the upper airway mucosa, rhinosurgery has been considered a particular risk for spread of respiratory infections. Our aim was to assess staff exposure to aerosols during common rhinosurgical procedures METHODS: Staff exposure to generated particle concentrations and size distributions between 0.3 λm and 10 λm were measured during rhinosurgery using an optical particle sizer without any additional collection methods. Similarly measured aerosol exposure during coughing (a commonly used risk reference for aerosol generation) and the operating room’s background concentration were chosen as reference values. RESULTS: Altogether 16 common rhinological surgeries (septoplasties and endoscopic sinus surgery) were measured. The use of suction produced significantly lower aerosol concentration compared to coughing. Low aerosol generation was observed during injection anaesthesia of the nasal mucosa. Instrument comparison revealed that the microdebrider produced fewer aerosols than cold dissection in particles of 1-5 λm and >5 λm. CONCLUSIONS: Common rhinosurgeries do not seem to generate as high aerosol concentration exposures as previously believed. Rather, the observed aerosol exposure is lower or similar to exposures during coughing. Therefore, the classification of common rhinosurgeries as AGPs should be re-assessed or possibly discarded.

Mental well-being of healthcare workers in two hospital districts with differing COVID-19 incidence : Noora Rantanen

Objectives Healthcare systems and healthcare workers have been under considerable strain during the COVID-19 pandemic in many countries. Our study aimed to assess the mental well-being of Finnish healthcare workers from two hospital districts with differing COVID-19 incidence rates (HUS, Hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa/Helsinki University Hospital;and Kymsote, Social and Health services in Kymenlaakso region) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020. Material and methods The data of this prospective survey study was collected during summer 2020, and a total of 996 healthcare workers (HUS N = 862, Kymsote N = 134) participated. Mental health symptoms were self-reported, and symptom criteria followed ICD-10 classification, excluding duration criteria. We divided participants into symptom categories “often/sometimes” (those who met the diagnostic criteria), and “rarely/never” (those not meeting the diagnostic criteria), and compared these groups to sociodemographic factors and factors related to work, workload, and well-being. Results Despite differences in COVID-19 incidence, the degree of mental health symptoms did not differ between HUS and Kymsote districts (p = 1). A significant relationship was found between self-reported diagnostic mental health symptoms and experiences of insufficient instructions for protection against COVID-19 (in HUS cohort, p < 0.001), insufficient recovery from work (p < 0.001), and subjective increased workload (p < 0.001). Conclusions These findings show the importance of sufficient, well-designed instructions for protection from SARS-CoV-2 for healthcare workers, indicating their need to feel safe and protected at work. The workload of healthcare workers should be carefully monitored to keep it moderate and ensure their adequate recovery from work. Sufficient control of the epidemic to keep the burden of the healthcare system as low as possible is essential for healthcare workers’ well-being. Key messages Workload of healthcare workers should be carefully monitored during a pandemic to keep it moderate and ensure adequate recovery in all regions, regardless of the local disease burden. The importance of sufficient, well-designed instructions for healthcare workers and their need to feel safe and protected at work.