TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of building ventilation systems and habitual indoor incense burning on SARS-CoV-2 virus transmissions in Middle Eastern countries
AU - Amoatey, Patrick
AU - Omidvarborna, Hamid
AU - Baawain, Mahad Said
AU - Al-Mamun, Abdullah
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by Ministry of Environment and Climatic Affairs (MECA) of Oman under Grant Number CR/DVC/CESAR/16/05 .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2020/9/1
Y1 - 2020/9/1
N2 - Majority of countries across the globe have employed improving building ventilation, quarantine, social distancing, and disinfections as a general measure of preventing SARS-CoV-2 virus transmissions. However, arid Middle Eastern countries with hot climate (elevated outdoor temperature and humidity levels) are experiencing a different situation. Unfortunately, these harsh ambient climatic conditions in Middle Eastern countries make it impossible for most buildings to utilize natural/mechanical ventilation systems. Besides, indoor air temperatures of most buildings are very low due to overconsumption of air conditioning, thereby, it can be a potential factor of virus spread in most residential homes and public buildings. Most importantly, habitual indoor burning of incense which is the major source of coarse (PM10; aerodynamic diameter <10 μm) and fine (PM2.5; aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) particulate matters (PM) could facilitate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus droplets and particles in indoor environments. In fact, it increases the spread of the virus via inhalation in these countries, especially where the wearing of masks is not regulated in public, commercial and residential buildings. It is therefore highly recommended for the relevant public health agencies to critically assess the role of poor indoor environmental conditions including the burning of incense on virus transmissions, which may help to develop control measures for the future viral outbreak effectively.
AB - Majority of countries across the globe have employed improving building ventilation, quarantine, social distancing, and disinfections as a general measure of preventing SARS-CoV-2 virus transmissions. However, arid Middle Eastern countries with hot climate (elevated outdoor temperature and humidity levels) are experiencing a different situation. Unfortunately, these harsh ambient climatic conditions in Middle Eastern countries make it impossible for most buildings to utilize natural/mechanical ventilation systems. Besides, indoor air temperatures of most buildings are very low due to overconsumption of air conditioning, thereby, it can be a potential factor of virus spread in most residential homes and public buildings. Most importantly, habitual indoor burning of incense which is the major source of coarse (PM10; aerodynamic diameter <10 μm) and fine (PM2.5; aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) particulate matters (PM) could facilitate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus droplets and particles in indoor environments. In fact, it increases the spread of the virus via inhalation in these countries, especially where the wearing of masks is not regulated in public, commercial and residential buildings. It is therefore highly recommended for the relevant public health agencies to critically assess the role of poor indoor environmental conditions including the burning of incense on virus transmissions, which may help to develop control measures for the future viral outbreak effectively.
KW - Burning incense
KW - COVID-19 disease
KW - Hot climate
KW - Indoor environments
KW - Middle Eastern countries
KW - SARS-CoV-2 virus
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U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139356
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139356
M3 - Comment/debate
C2 - 32416534
AN - SCOPUS:85084511183
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 733
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
M1 - 139356
ER -