CAN AIR PURIFIERS WITH HEPA FILTER CAPTURE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19?

Since the coronavirus outbreak, many have wondered whether Air Purifiers with the HEPA filter protect against the virus. The answer is yes and no. However, one thing is 100% sure - they do help reduce the risk of COVID-19. To find out how to protect yourself and your family, you need to understand how the units work and what they do against the virus itself. Without further ado, let's make things clear right now.

What is a HEPA filter and how it works?

The abbreviation stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. The technology was designed to maintain cleanrooms for atomic energy development. It was created by the U.S. Department of Energy as the requirement for providers of filtration units based on the percent, efficient for removing particles (i.e., 99.97% at 0.3 microns and above).

Basically, the HEPA filtration is a physical thing: a fan circulating at high speed draws particles from the air via a felt-like filter with holes of different sizes. Its fibers capture airborne particulates in three ways. All differ according to the particulates' sizes (i.e., for about o.5 micron and above, impaction is effective.) Since it's the COVID-19 virus protection we're talking about, it's diffusion that we need to focus on. But before explaining this physical phenomenon, let's talk about the size of COVID-19 particles.

Do HEPA filters capture the virus?

Scientists have already measured the size of the COVID-19 "virions" or particles. Their diameters are about 125nm or 0.125 microns; the smallest ones are 0.06 and the largest ones are 0.14 microns. Herewith, HEPA filters must remove 99.97% of particles with the size equal to 0.3 microns or bigger.

Anyway, does the capturing happen? This is where diffusion comes in. Very small particles, notably those below 0.1 micron, haphazardly get bounced around and "cooled down" due to their contacts with atmospheric atoms and molecules, and eventually get trapped upon a filter fiber. As a result, all particles get caught fast, while airflow is a bit sabotaged. That way, this diffusion does a great job of capturing virus-sized particles.

So, technically HEPA filters are incredibly effective in protecting against the coronavirus. Moreover, NASA has confirmed that HEPA filters catch " virtually 100% of particulates". Also, some Air Purifiers with the HEPA filter have proved to capture the H1N1 flu virus and respiratory bacterium like Staphylococcus aureus.
But…
Here's the truth you need to know about air purifiers and coronavirus. The latter is not airborne by nature. In other words, it might not get to the filter to be removed straight away. Experts say that the coronavirus is transported due to a physical contact between people. Another way - by contacting with virus-laden droplets as a result of a sick person's sneezing or coughing. In fact, such droplets travel only around 6 feet before landing on surfaces. This makes the air not the primary source by which the virus spreads.
However, according to the recent study of the Research University of California, the COVID-19 can stay viable and be floating in the air for about three hours. So, as it becomes clear from the above, HEPA Air Purifier has all the chances to reduce the spread and capture the COVID-19 virus.

So, technically HEPA filters are incredibly effective in protecting against the coronavirus. Moreover, NASA has confirmed that HEPA filters catch " virtually 100% of particulates". Also, some Air Purifiers with the HEPA filter have proved to capture the H1N1 flu virus and respiratory bacterium like Staphylococcus aureus.
But…
Here's the truth you need to know about air purifiers and coronavirus. The latter is not airborne by nature. In other words, it might not get to the filter to be removed straight away. Experts say that the coronavirus is transported due to a physical contact between people. Another way - by contacting with virus-laden droplets as a result of a sick person's sneezing or coughing. In fact, such droplets travel only around 6 feet before landing on surfaces. This makes the air not the primary source by which the virus spreads.
However, according to the recent study of the Research University of California, the COVID-19 can stay viable and be floating in the air for about three hours. So, as it becomes clear from the above, HEPA Air Purifier has all the chances to reduce the spread and capture the COVID-19 virus.

What is more effective - face masks or HEPA Air Purifiers?

Certainly, face masks like N95 respirator offer some protection. However, the coronavirus particles are tiny enough to pass through most surgical masks filters. The latter help prevent spreading mouth-borne germs from one person to other people and to surfaces. Yet, their size does not allow filtering fine particles less than 2 microns. Besides, the leakage usually happens around the edge of the mask which is less protected.
N95 respirators filter out most airborne particles but again - with their size being down to 0.3 microns in diameter. Even if worn properly, the respirator allows the minimal leakage around the edge.
On the other hand, a top-quality HEPA Air Purifier can help filter out virus-sized particles and reduce your chances to catch the COVID-19.
Obviously, it is not comfortable to wear masks at home. So, it would be more reasonable if you put on the mask when you're outside and turn on a HEPA Air Purifier when you're at home.