Thread by @LizSzabo

Someone in your family has tested positive for covid. What can you do to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the household? Ventilation can help. A thread. 1/ khn.org/news/article/h…

@CDCgov recommends isolating Covid patients for at least 5 days, preferably in a separate room with access to their own bathroom, as well as diligent mask-wearing for both patient and caregiver. 2/ nbcnews.com/health/health-…

@CDCgov @CDCgov advice on home isolation for covid can be tough to follow. Not everyone has an extra bedroom to spare, let alone a free bathroom. Young children should not be cooped up alone for 5 days, and the youngest can’t tolerate masks. 3/ khn.org/news/article/h…

“For parents of a young child, it’s pretty difficult not to be exposed,” said @PreetiNMalani. “You have to work back from the perfect to the possible and manage your risk the best you can.” 4/ @khnews #Thread

Does someone in your home have covid? “Ventilation matters a lot,” said Amy Barczak of @harvardmed. “If you’re taking care of someone at home, it’s really important to maximize all the interventions that work.” 5/ khn.org/news/article/h… @khnews #Thread

Start by opening as many windows as the weather allows, said @joeyfox85. If possible, open windows on opposite sides of the home to create a cross breeze, which can help sweep viruses outside and bring fresh air inside. 6/

Covid-proofing your home: Place a box fan in the window, facing *outward* to draw germy air outside. Seal any openings around the sides of the fan, said @JimRosenthal4. Stuff towels under door, making a negative-pressure room. 7/ nbcnews.com/health/health-…

Covid-proofing your house (cont'd): Cover the return air grills with plastic. These grills cover vents that suck air out of the room and recycle it through the heating or cooling system, which could allow the coronavirus to spread through your home. 8/

9/ You can all vent virus-laden air out of the sick room and outside the house by turning on bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans. Just be sure to open windows if running exhaust fans for >10 mins to prevent carbon monoxide spread. khn.org/news/article/h…

Coronaviruses thrive in dry air, and increasing the amount of moisture in the air can help deactivate them, said @linseymarr. Marr suggests increasing humidity levels to somewhere between 40 percent and 60 percent. 10/

11/ Got a covid patient at home? Research shows that high-efficiency particulate air filters, or HEPA filters, can remove coronaviruses from the air. Put it next to the patient. “You want to put the filter as close to the source [of the virus] as possible,” @joeyfox85 said.

12/ Portable air cleaners with HEPA filters can be expensive. But you can make your own DIY air cleaner for about $100. Studies show they work as well/better than more expensive models. @JimRosenthal4 @CorsIAQ #CorsiRosenthalBox @KHNews #Thread
nbcnews.com/health/health-…

13/ Coronavirus particles float through the air like invisible secondhand smoke, diffusing as they travel. Outside the home, viruses are quickly dispersed by the wind. Inside, germs can build up, like clouds of thick cigarette smoke, increasing the risk of inhaling the virus.

14/ How to covid-proof your home? The best strategy for avoiding the virus is to make your indoor environment as much like the outdoors as possible, with good ventilation, lots of clean outside air. khn.org/news/article/h…

15/ A recent study found that 1/2 of the people living in a covid patient’s household also contracted the virus. Learn how to protect yourself and others from our story. Take a layered approach: vaccines, boosters, distancing, masks, ventilation are key.
khn.org/news/article/h…

16/ Got covid in your home? If possible, older people and those with weak immune systems may be safest temporarily moving in with a friend or neighbor, says @priya4genes. Omicron variants are incredibly infectious.

nbcnews.com/health/health-…

17/ Do DIY air cleaners really work? Studies show they do, and experts recommend using one if someone in your home tests positive. “We’re not helpless,” said @JimRosenthal4. “We need to provide tools that people can use right now to make things better.”
nbcnews.com/health/health-…

End of thread! Thanks for reading. medscape.com/viewarticle/97… 18/18