众言(1):病毒弥漫的Tendercare老人院,咋办?

仅仅在刚才,我们和正处于二级抢救的母亲做了一个简短的视频通话。经过一夜的输液输氧,我母亲已经从昏迷状态到有意识。我们告诉她会好起来的,但她摇摇头。在医生帮她梳理了一下头发后,我母亲闭上眼休息一会儿之后,又努力地睁开眼睛,看着我们。对此,我非常感谢北约克医院(North York General Hospital)的专业服务,这比Tendercare老人院让老人们躺在床上等死要强多少倍。

在我们的亲人和Covid-19病毒做抗争的这一刻,我想说一件我曾经去努力过的事情。我认为,Tendercare老人院这座大楼,到现在实际上已经是一座病毒弥漫的大楼。走到今天Covid-19爆发,实际上是有一个过程的。在过往,Tendercare老人院的空调系统工作时就带有异味,加上温度调的偏高,一走进住户区域,一股气味扑面而来。我们曾多次向Tendercare老人院Social worker反映,他们的回答是正在考虑大楼重新装修,不过,一直等了两年都没有任何动静,然后就碰到了今天的Covid-19病毒感染爆发。Social worker是我们唯一能够向养老院管理层投诉的设置。这次Covid-19在这个老人院爆发后,Social worker为唯一的接受上百位家属的联系人,电话根本打不通,只是去穷无尽的留言,实际上就是推诿。

亡羊补牢,现在为解决这座病毒弥漫的大楼的洁净空气问题,有可以立即见效办法。那就是在每一房间设置紫外线空气杀菌设备。为此,我再次强烈呼吁老人院管理层尽快购置紫外线空气杀菌设备。值得说明的是,我并非商家来推广产品,我的目的很简单,那就是为了护理人员的安全,也是为了我母亲以及其他正在与病魔做斗争的老人们。因为没有护理人员的有效付出,也就没有老人们的康复。

作为一名四十年从事电子工程光谱研究的工程师、大学老师,我可以明确告诉大家,在一个密闭的空间,采用紫外线空气杀菌是非常有效的一个办法!大家要清楚,人们戴口罩仅是防止病毒,而紫外线空气洁净是主动出击,杀灭病毒。在科学层面上看,这是一个已经被广泛应用的杀灭病毒的有效方法,希望借社区网这个平台,呼吁全社会能够广泛采用。同时,我也希望Tendercare老人院管理曾能够当机立断,即刻行动,让每一台紫外线设备安放在与病毒COVID-19抗争的第一线。(文/赵宁)

附录:
在完成这篇小文章时,我碰巧看到一个报道,在一定程度上验证了我的说法,在此分享给大家!

研究发现,新冠病毒不仅通过飞沫和接触感染者传播,而且可以在空气中扩散。有报告说,在餐厅、居民大楼和飞机等密闭空间,即使保持社交距离,还是有感染的风险。那么,密闭空间的致命弱点在哪里?随着购物商场、饭店和健身房等设施的开放,我们要怎样做好密闭空间的清洁和预防工作?

国立台湾大学医院环境职业医学部主任苏大成说,人们在讲话时喷出的唾沫,会随空调气流飘动,传播距离还蛮远的,而且我们使用的空调以内循环为主,无法过滤掉病毒。

苏大成说:“我们所谓的冷气房里的空调通常是一个内循环的情况,因为外气进来的时间是蛮短的,1个小时里面可能只有10分钟或者15分钟,大部分时间是里面的吸进去,然后再出来,它是一个内循环。它里面所谓的过滤网也只是一个简单的过滤,并没有办法去过滤病毒,其他的微生物也过滤不掉。”

苏大成说,研究显示,新冠病毒可以在空气中存活3个小时,餐厅、公寓和游轮房间都是密闭空间,病毒的浓度会随着时间的推移而增加。

苏大成:“所以基本上要记得,我们在一个密闭空间当中时,要注意到会造成空气的共享。意思就是说,当我们注意到,在什么地方聚会,其实都是在一个共同的空间,空气的共享在密闭空间当中,它(病毒)的浓度就越来越高。就是说假设有一个病毒,还是有传染性的A流感也好,还是有一个细菌也好,它就有可能在里面慢慢的累积。”

苏大成说,如果是中央空调,几个房间共用一个空调箱,那么,病毒就有可能从一个房间传播到另一个房间,增加病毒扩散风险。钻石公主号游轮就是一个例子

Experts warn risk of viral spread in confined space high
The first case of a group infection in Japan of the new coronavirus confirmed Wednesday among passengers aboard a cruise liner has highlighted that the risk of it spreading in confined space is high, with health experts cautioning that the danger is greater on ships, buses and trains than on airplanes.

The deadly pneumonia-causing virus, which can spread through droplets from coughs and sneezes, is more likely to cause infections if passengers are within a 1-meter radius of someone who has the symptoms, the experts said.

On airplanes, the risk is lower because the recycled air in the cabins is ventilated through filters designed to remove viruses and germs, and respiratory droplets will fall on the floor as the air flows downward, they said.

“The degree of congestion hugely affects” the risk of infection, said Yasuhiro Kanatani, a Tokai University professor who specializes in public health.

As one example, he said the “danger of infection on bus tours is relatively high as passengers are together for a long time.”

In late January, a tour guide living in Osaka Prefecture was found to be infected with the new virus, in addition to a Japanese bus driver who was with her and Chinese tourists from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, for several days.

On Wednesday, nine passengers and a crew member among some 3,700 people on board the cruise ship quarantined off Yokohama have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The number of people confirmed to be infected with the virus has reached 35 in Japan.

One of the passengers aboard the Diamond Princess said they were allowed to freely move around the ship, equipped with facilities including a casino, theater, fitness center and sauna, and could dine at restaurants until Tuesday but from Wednesday morning all meals were switched to room delivery.

The passengers and crew members from 56 countries and regions have been told to stay on the ship for the next 14 days to be quarantined.

On cruise ships, group infections of influenza and norovirus have been reported in the past, according to Reiko Saito, a Niigata University professor.

“There has been a case in which a third of crew members were infected with influenza,” she said.

As for measures to prevent virus infections on trains and buses, health experts have advised people to commute during off-peak hours and take advantage of remote work from their homes if they can.

They added those who have a cough and are sneezing must wear masks.

Tokai University’s Kanatani stressed that people should not carelessly touch their nose, mouth or eyes after getting off public transportation. The health ministry is also urging thorough alcohol disinfection.

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