Coronavirus
Technology Solutions
December 30, 2020
Hospitals Moving
to Permanent
Ventilation
Improvements
U of I Mask
Research Focuses
on Mask Fit as
Well as
Breathability
Virus
Transmitted Over
20 Feet in Less
Than Five
Minutes
Wellness Fellows
Builds Mask
Lines in ISO 7
Cleanroom
Sonovia is
Launching its
Face Masks in
the UK
Iris Ohyama
Making 23
Million Masks
per Month
JP Air Tech
Produces 4.5
Million Square
Meters of F9
Media/Month
India Lax On
Masks and
Expecting
a Second
Wave of the
Virus
Universities
Around the World
are Coping with
the Virus
Monitoring Mask
Wearing with
“Mask Cams”
_____________________________________________________________________________
Hospitals Moving
to Permanent
Ventilation
Improvements
As the A/E/C
industry helped
hospitals
respond with
temporary
retrofit
solutions to
meet the surge
requirements of
the COVID-19
pandemic, many
of the
interventions
were focused on
augmenting or
modifying
existing HVAC
systems to
create negative
pressure in a
standard
medical/surgical
patient room.
It is important
that the best
practices from
the retrofits be
applied to
continuing
efforts as well
as the design
and engineering
of new
hospitals.
One clear
takeaway is:
hospitals will
need to consider
investing in
HVAC systems
with the
appropriate
components and
infrastructure
to provide
environment
required to
support acuity
adaptable
isolation spaces
for airborne
pathogens like
COVID-19 or
other viruses.
Below are
considerations
and potential
solutions for
providing a
robust HVAC
system that can
support future
flexibility.
1. HEPA
Filtration
Recommendations. To
minimize the
chance of future
viruses
spreading
through hospital
HVAC systems,
experts
recommend
implementing and
maintaining
proper particle
filtration with
HEPA filters.
HEPA stands for
high-efficiency
particulate air
and HEPA
filtration
systems are
extremely
effective at
capturing and
removing
airborne
particles,
microorganisms,
and other
contaminants
from a
facility's
indoor air.
Installing a
HEPA filtration
system will
impact air
distribution, so
it is critically
important that
your HVAC system
is designed with
enough fan power
at the air
handling units
(AHU) to support
their use.
Consider
installing HEPA
filter racks on
AHUs that serve
negative
pressure areas.
Another option
is to install
HEPA racks that
you do not
intend to use in
air handlers
under normal
operations, and
only use the
HEPA filters in
a pandemic
situation. This
would address
any concerns
about operation
and maintenance
costs related to
HEPA filters.
Another option
would be to have
a dedicated
exhaust air duct
to the outside
that features
connections for
portable
negative
pressure
machines with
HEPA filters.
2. Air Handling
Unit (AHU)
Recommendations. Recognizing
the importance
of bringing
outside air into
hospitals in a
pandemic
situation when
planning a new
hospital,
consider
engineering your
AHUs to handle
dual conditions
for heating and
cooling coils:
minimum outside
air intake for
normal
conditions and
100 percent
outside air for
pandemic and
emergency
conditions.
Standby heating
and cooling
capacity can be
configured to be
utilized for
increased
outside air for
these
conditions.
This would
encourage more
hospitals to
want to include
standby cooling
equipment in the
design and
encourage the
use of chilled
water-cooling
systems in more
facilities.
Air cooled,
direct expansion
systems are
commonly used in
smaller
facilities.
However, they
generally do not
have extra
capacity
available to
increase outside
air without
compromising
comfort.
Most building
codes already
require standby
heating
equipment. The
intent would be
to use available
standby capacity
for emergency
conditions.
Current hospital
code requires a
minimum of 25
feet separation
between exhaust
source and
intake source of
outside air.
However, this
does not apply
to economizer
return fans.
This is an area
that requires
additional
investigation,
as best
practices would
dictate a
similar
separation from
intake source if
return fans are
used for
emergency
exhaust.
Consider use of
high intensity
UV lights or
other similar
air treatment
systems at the
cooling coils.
In addition to
helping to keep
coils clean,
they can also be
effective in
killing a high
percentage of
virus particles
passing through
the AHU.
3. Negative
Pressure
Environment
Recommendations. Negative
pressure rooms
feature
mechanical
ventilation
systems which
maintain the
pressure of the
room at a
slightly lower
level than the
pressure of the
entry area so
that it allows
air to flow into
the isolation
room but not
escape from the
room, as air
naturally flows
from areas with
higher pressure
to areas with
lower pressure,
thereby
preventing
contaminated air
from the
isolation room
to escape
outwards.
Construction of
a negative
pressure room
requires special
attention be
given to details
that include
sealing all wall
penetrations and
use of
monolithic,
gypboard
ceilings. Door
seals and sweeps
are also
commonly used.
As a result,
they are much
more expensive
to construct.
When converting
existing
standard rooms
to negative
pressure
environments,
negative
pressurization
may be
compromised due
to existing
construction
details that
cannot be
changed.
Although proper
directional
airflow can be
achieved, the
measured
pressure
differential may
be less than
expected.
4. Return Air
and Exhaust Air
Recommendations. Not
only is intake
of outside air
important, but
it is also
important to
address return
air and exhaust
air best
practices in new
hospital design.
Some designs
have discharged
return or relief
air into
mechanical
rooms.
Future projects
should avoid
this and have
all return air
ducted to the
outside in order
to reduce the
risk of
infection and
allow return
fans to be used
for emergency
exhaust.
U of I Mask
Research Focuses
on Mask Fit as
Well as
Breathability
Research at the
University of
Illinois focuses
on designing
masks with
tight
fit, low
resistance, and
high filtration
efficiency.
Mechanical
science and
engineering
professor Taher
Saif, right,
and students
Onur Aydin,
left, and Bashar
Emon
The research
from the
University of
Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign
suggests that a
well-fitted mask
made of two
layers of a
breathable
material can be
nearly as
effective as a
surgical mask at
blocking
respiratory.
U of I
mechanical
engineering
professor Taher
Saif. was
the lead author
in a paper published in
the journal
“Extreme
Mechanics
Letters.”
Using a setup in
the lab, Saif’s
team tested 11
cloth materials,
including both
cotton and
polyester blends
from T-shirts,
bed sheets and
dishcloths. The
researchers
studied how well
the materials
block
respiratory
droplets
carrying
nanoparticles
that are roughly
the size of the
coronavirus,
traveling at a
similar speed to
droplets emitted
when people
cough, sneeze
and talk.
The team then
compared the
performance of
the household
materials with
surgical mask
material.
Saif says all
single-layered
materials tested
blocked at least
half of droplets
released, and
with two layers,
the efficiency
increased to
more than 90% —
comparable to
the performance
of surgical
masks.
“Then the
question is: I
have good
breathable
material; Now
how do I design
a mask so that I
don’t create big
open spaces? And
that’s where the
creativity
comes,” Saif
says.
The most
effective masks,
he says, are
made of a
breathable
material and
have a good fit
around the face,
covering the
mouth and nose.
The fit is
important to
make sure
droplets don’t
escape out the
sides of the
mask.
Saif says his
research on the
effectiveness of
materials at
blocking
respiratory
droplets — which
are large enough
to fall to the
ground quickly —
complements other studies on
the use of cloth
materials for
blocking the
transmission of
aerosols, which
are smaller and
can linger in
the air.
Virus
Transmitted Over
20 Feet in Less
Than Five
Minutes
Dr. Lee Ju-hyung
has largely
avoided
restaurants in
recent months,
but on the few
occasions he’s
dined out, he’s
developed a
strange, if
sensible, habit:
whipping out a
small anemometer
to check the
airflow.
It’s a
precaution he
has been taking
since a June
experiment when
he and
colleagues
re-created the
conditions at a
restaurant in
Jeonju, a city
in the southwest
of South Korea,
where diners
contracted
coronavirus from
an out-of-town
visitor. Among
them was a high
school student
who was infected
with the
coronavirus
after five
minutes of
exposure from
more than 20
feet away.
The results of
the study, for
which Lee and
other
epidemiologists
enlisted the
help of an
engineer who
specializes in
aerodynamics,
were published
last week in the
Journal of
Korean Medical
Science. The
conclusions
raised concerns
that the widely
accepted
standard of 6
feet of social
distance may not
be far enough to
keep people
safe.
The study —
adding to a
growing body of
evidence on
airborne
transmission of
the virus —
highlighted how
South Korea’s
meticulous and
often invasive
contact tracing
regime has
enabled
researchers to
closely track
how the virus
moves through
populations.
“In this
outbreak, the
distances
between infector
and infected
persons were
farther than the
generally
accepted 2 meter
[6.6 foot]
droplet
transmission
range,” the
study’s authors
wrote. “The
guidelines on
quarantine and
epidemiological
investigation
must be updated
to reflect these
factors for
control and
prevention of
COVID-19.”
KJ Seung, an
infectious
disease expert
and chief of
strategy and
policy for the
nonprofit
Partners in
Health’s
Massachusetts
COVID response,
said the study
was a reminder
of the risk of
indoor
transmission as
many nations
hunker down for
the winter. The
official
definition of a
“close contact”
— 15 minutes,
within 6 feet —
isn’t foolproof.
Wellness Fellows
Builds Mask
Lines in ISO 7
Cleanroom
The Wellness
Fellows is
launching a
range of
surgical masks
made in
Singapore's
first ISO Class
7 cleanroom
environment
designed for the
manufacturing of
N95 and surgical
masks.
Under the brand
name, The Mask
Fellows, these
masks are
manufactured
from five
production lines
with a capacity
to produce ten
million masks
per month. The
factory will
open its grounds
for educational
tours for a
small fee so
everyone can
experience and
witness
first-hand how
surgical masks
are made.
"The Wellness
Fellows is a
group of
individuals from
diverse
backgrounds, who
came together to
form a
made-in-Singapore
surgical mask
factory, as we
believed no one
should be
deprived of a
mask. “We want
to produce
surgical masks
to the highest
standards, and
we spared no
efforts to build
a cleanroom
facility with
IoT (Internet of
Things) like
climate control
and cleanroom
monitor," said
Founder and CEO,
Daniel Chui.
"It is important
for us to have
certifications
for ISO Class 7
cleanroom and
for our masks to
be certified
with
international
surgical masks
standards like
ASTM F2100 and
EN 14683 as it
is pertinent to
associate The
Mask Fellows
with quality and
safety
attributes that
are synonymous
with a
made-in-Singapore
brand. These
accreditations
and
certifications
have allowed us
to export to
other
countries," he
continues.
"When we
manufacture
these masks in a
cleanroom
environment
where dusts,
airborne
microbes, and
aerosol
particles are
passed out using
HEPA filters,
the end-products
are high-hygiene
face masks which
we want to offer
in Singapore and
markets across
the world. And
we are honored
to have Dr Leong
Hoe Nam, an
infectious
disease
specialist, as
our medical
advisor."
Sonovia is
Launching its
Face Masks in
the UK
In development
for more than
seven years, the
masks have been
proven to be
over 90%
effective
against
COVID-19, the
company says.
The patented
technology
infuses Zinc
Oxide
nanoparticles
into the fabric
and is designed
to boost both
the masks'
sustainability
and their
efficacy.
While it’s easy
to see why
during a
healthcare
crisis, the
environmental
crisis takes a
back seat,
recent figures
suggest damage
caused by the
volume
unrecyclable
masks being
dumped across
the UK is an
environmental
emergency
waiting to
happen, Sonovia
says.
As the B2B
distributor for
Sonovia’s
products in the
UK, GlobalNPD
says it aims to
make "innovative
frontier
technologies"
more accessible
and help the
world adjust to
the post-COVID
landscape.
Dr Jeevan Boyal,
a director of
GlobalNPD, said:
“We’re proud to
launch Sonovia’s
masks into the
UK market via
GlobalNPD and
hope that the
products help
businesses and
consumers alike
in adjusting to
the new normal.
We have seen the
numerous reports
of environmental
impact of
non-reusable
masks, and if we
continue
ignoring it for
much longer the
impact will go
beyond what can
be repaired.
"Sonovia’s
revolutionary
technology took
over seven years
to develop
because we were
not willing to
compromise on
functionality or
sustainability
whilst keeping
in mind our
competitive
price point and
appeal to the
B2B audience.
Ultimately our
mission is to
bring frontier
products led by
superior
technology to
global
audiences, and
our roll out in
the UK is the
next piece of
our puzzle.”
Iris Ohyama
Making 23
Million Masks
per Month
Iris Ohyama currently
operates two
factories in
China and one in
Japan dedicated
to making face
masks. The
company also
supplies its own
meltblown and
spunbond
nonwovens for
part of this
output. The
company
currently sells
23 million masks
per month in
Japan.
In 2020, Iris
Ohyama made the
decision to
start making the
N95 masks to
allow it to
serve the
medical market
which was facing
shortages in
Japan. New
facilities
dedicated to
making these
masks will begin
operation in
fall 2021 which
will be able to
make 10,000
masks per month.
Additionally,
the company
plans to enter
the sanitized
wipes market
with the
construction of
a new plant.
Iris Ohyama will
be able to make
one million wet
wipes per month
beginning in
late 2021.
Iris Ohyama is a
Japanese
consumer plastic
manufacturer
based in Aoba-ku,
Sendai, Miyagi
Prefecture. It
is the leading
storage
organization
manufacturer in
Japan. The
company designs
and manufactures
products aimed
at the
furniture,
housewares,
garden
accessories,
office products
and pet supplies
markets.
JP Air Tech
Produces 4.5
Million Square
Meters of F9
Media/Month
JP Air Tech
offers a wide
range of air
filter media
products (as
roll goods &
pleat-packs) for
high efficiency
air filtration
applications.
Due to the
increasing
demand for
nanofiber-based
products in
filtration &
separation
market, this
year it expanded
nanofiber
production
capacity.
With this
expansion, the
Danish company
has 4,500,000 m2
monthly capacity
to deliver F9
efficiency class
nanofiber filter
media with a
maximum
production width
of 2400 mm.
Also, this
investment will
allow the
company to
diversify into
new markets and
segments
including liquid
filtration,
waterproof &
breathable
textile,
protective mask
& respirators,
battery
separator and
medical
applications.
India Lax on
Masks and
Expecting a
Second Wave of
the Virus
People are
violating “with
impunity”
the Covid-19 guidelines
on wearing of
face masks at
public places
and are not
adhering
to social
distancing norms,
the Supreme
Court said last
week while
castigating
the
authorities for
not ensuring
strict
compliance of
these measures
to contain coronavirus.
The apex court
questioned the
authorities over
large gatherings
including
political and
social during
the pandemic time
and said the
Centre and
states should
give suggestions
so that
appropriate
directions can
be issued to
implement these
guidelines and
also for
ensuring its
compliance.
“You give
suggestions on
what is needed
to be done for
implementation
of these
guidelines on
face masks and
gatherings.
People are
violating them
with impunity.
What should be
done you tell
us. We will fill
up the gaps,” a
bench headed by
Justice Ashok
Bhushan said.
In related news,
the cap on the
number of
domestic flights
that Indian
airlines are
permitted to
operate was
increased from
70 per cent to
80 per cent of
their pre-Covid
levels, said
Civil Aviation
Minister Hardeep
Singh Puri. The
minister had
said on November
11 that the
Indian airlines
can operate up
to 70 per cent
of their
pre-COVID
domestic
passenger
flights due to
the prevailing
demand amid the
coronavirus
situation.
Puri tweeted ,
“Domestic
operations
recommenced with
30K passengers
on 25 May & have
now touched a
high of 2.52
lakhs on 30 Nov
2020. Ministry
of Civil
Aviation is now
allowing
domestic
carriers to
increase their
operations from
existing 70% to
80% of pre-COVID
approved
capacity,” he
stated.
India detected
35,551 new cases
of coronavirus
infection on
Wednesday,
taking its
overall tally to
over 95.34 lakh.
About 4.22 lakh
infections are
currently active
and 89,73,373
have recovered
so far. With 526
new deaths, the
toll mounted to
1,38,648. With
Delhi numbers
declining,
Kerala is now
back as the
topmost
contributor of
cases.
A technical
advisory
committee
advising the
Karnataka
government on
how to tackle
the Covid-19
pandemic has warned
that a second
wave of the
coronavirus may
hit the state in
January and has
suggested
measures like
the imposition
of night curfew
between December
26 to January 1
and a ban on New
Year
celebrations to
minimize the
impact on the
state.
Universities
Around the World
are Coping with
the Virus
Most
universities are
only partially
open due to
COVID. Here is
the status in
selected
countries.
Canada
University students
in Canada recently
learned their
2020-2021
collegiate
sports season
had been
cancelled.
Canada’s
Atlantic
University Sport
organization’s
executive
director Phil
Currie addressed
this
cancellation,
saying, “We had
hoped to be able
to get to a
place where we
could see some
semblance of a
regular season
and postseason
take place for
our winter sport
student-athletes.
Unfortunately
given the
current
realities in
many of our
regions, and
evolving public
health
directives, this
won’t be
possible.”
However, the
organization is
hopeful students
may be allowed
to play in the
spring should
cases be low and
a safety plan
successfully
developed.
United States
Amid the second
wave of the
virus, the USA's
Center for
Disease Control
and Prevention
(CDC) has updated
guidance for
universities and
colleges on how
to create a
safer learning
environment for
students.
Schools are
encouraged to
maintain social
distancing, as
well as follow
testing
protocols based
upon the nature
of their
community.
Additionally,
the CDC
encourages
schools to use
contact tracing
to minimize the
spread of the
virus throughout
institutions.
United Kingdom
The UK
government has issued
guidance on how
to safely reopen
and operate
higher education
institutions, including
the importance
of ventilation
in buildings,
how and when to
wear face masks,
how social
gatherings
should take
place, as well
as regulations
for performing
arts.
Netherlands
In the
Netherlands,
universities
have been
instructed to
move all
orientation
activities
online to
minimize the
amount of
in-person
contact.
Additionally,
activities that
take place in
person must be
limited to small
numbers of
people, with
students and
staff staying
1.5 meters
apart at all
times.
Institutions are
making
selections
regarding
opening
procedures,
with some opting
for a hybrid
model. While the
Dutch aren’t
currently
offering
financial
assistance to
students who are
unable to pay
rent due to the
virus, landlords
are encouraged
to work with
students to find
solutions.
China
The Chinese are
focusing on
keeping
outbreaks
minimized with
continued social
distancing, as
well as
protective
measures. At
the Chinese
University of
Hong Kong, for
example,
students are
encouraged to
stay home when
able, maintain
social
distancing on
campus, and
masks are
mandatory at all
times, unless
one is eating or
drinking. Staff
have also been
instructed to
adopt “flexible
working hours
and staggered
lunch breaks” as
a means of
keeping contact
minimal.
Finally, the
University's
Committee on
Health Promotion
and Protection
(CHPP) has
“activated the
Emergency
Response Level
(the second
highest level)
which
corresponds to a
situation where
the risk of a
novel virus
causing new and
serious impact
to human health
in Hong Kong is
high and
imminent.” This
means the
committee will
be keeping a
close eye on the
rapidly evolving
situation to
adapt as
necessary.
India
As of November
12th, 2020,
higher education
institutions in
India have begun
a cautious
approach to a
partial
reopening.
Guided by the
University
Grants
Commission (UGC)
laid out plans,
institutions
will be
participating in
a carefully
planned phased
reopening.
University World
News
explains, “A
return to the
normal routine
of education may
not return in
the near
future.” India
currently still
has a high level
of COVID-19
cases, which
means bringing
students back to
campus could be
unsafe for
students. In
August, India's National
Herald reported
that a study in
the journal JAMA
Network Open
recommended
testing students
every 2-3 days
to keep
infection
numbers to a
minimum.
Russia
As of November
16th, HSE
University has
moved back to a
fully online
learning
environment.
While campus
remains open and
accessible,
students are no
longer attending
classes live.
When a student
does come to
campus to access
the facilities,
a mask must be
worn at all
times. In an
effort to help
students stay
connected, all
professors will
host virtual
office hours for
at least four
hours a week.
Exams will be
held in person
or online, at
the discretion
of the
instructor.
However, this
new mode of
instruction has
proved less than
ideal for some.
In Russia’s
remote outposts,
students
struggle to gain
reliable
internet access.
In
Siberia, student
Alexei Dudoladov has
been forced on
more than one
occasion to
climb 26 feet
into a birch
tree outside his
village. He says
“I get on Zoom
to speak to
professors and
prove that I am
not skipping
class for no
reason.”
Dudoladov has
posted his
struggles on the
social media app
TikTok in an
attempt to raise
awareness to the
lack of
resources
students like
himself are
facing outside
of cities.
While COVID has
certainly
provided
challenges to
students and
universities,
such as the ones
mentioned in
this article, it
has also led to
much innovation
in hybrid and
online learning,
Monitoring Mask
Wearing with
“Mask Cams”
Here's a way to
ensure that bus
users are
wearing facial
coverings before
they catch a
ride: Install a
mirror-cam that
covers their
entire face with
the coronavirus.
That's exactly
the approach
that one city in
Turkey has taken
to remind bus
riders to put on
their masks.
As noted by a
recent Euronews video,
"mask cams" were
installed at bus
stops around the
city of Trabzon
in Turkey. At
first glance, it
looks like the
display is just
showing
surveillance
footage of the
bus shelter.
However, through
facial-recognition
technology, the
mirror cameras
are able to
identify those
who aren't
wearing a face
mask at all, as
well as people
who aren't
wearing their
masks properly
(like, say,
those who don't
make sure the
mask is
completely
covering their
nose and mouth).
With the help of
CCTV footage,
the faces of
those who are
caught on camera
not taking the
proper
precautions get
a huge image of
the virus
covering their
face when they
look into the
screen.
The idea behind
the mask cams is
to encourage
people in the
town to be
mindful of the
ongoing COVID-19
pandemic. Murat
Zorluoğlu, mayor
of Trabzon,
told Euronews that
the new approach
is a proven way
to promote
safety, raise
awareness about
safety measures
and prevent
residents from
having to pay a
hefty fine.
Turkey has
implemented
nationwide
regulations
requiring all
citizens to wear
a face-covering
whenever they
are outside of
their homes,
lest they be
privy to a fine
of 900 Turkish
lira—or $115 in
U.S. dollars.
That means
people are
expected to wear
masks in public
places,
including when
they are
outdoors
traveling from
one location to
the next.
Since the
coronavirus
first emerged in
Turkey in March,
the country saw
its highest
daily number of
documented
COVID-19 cases
on Friday, with
some 32,736
new cases.
