Listen: the importance of ventilation to reduce spread of Covid

In the run up to Christmas as individuals spend more time together indoors during the winter months, a new government campaign is explaining the importance of ventilating indoor spaces as well as following other behaviours that will help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Whilst the life-saving vaccines remain our best defence against COVID-19 – giving us over 90% protection against hospitalisation– people can still catch the virus even if they have been double vaccinated. With one in three people with COVID-19 showing no symptoms, it is easy to pass it onto others without knowing.

The campaign comes at a time when new research reveals that nearly two thirds of the public didn’t know that ventilation was an effective way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at home. Currently, only a third of people (29%) ventilate their homes when they have guests over, and only 3% of those surveyed refresh the air after guests leave.

A new film released by the Universities of Cambridge and Leeds, in collaboration with the government, demonstrates the positive impact of reducing COVID-19 levels indoors by opening a window for just 10 minutes every hour when socialising with others.

Aston spoke to Dr Helen Lawal.