New Delhi: There’s still so much around COVID-19 that we only keep learning every passing day. However, there’s one of the pressing questions that requires immediate attention – does COVID19 spread from one floor to other in high-rise apartments? This everyone is keen on finding. Scroll down to know what many studies have found out on this.
Does Covid-19 Spread From One Floor to Other in High-Rise Buildings?
Here’s the truth
This study has found out that SARS transmission between flats on different floors is for real! Yes, COVID-19 spreads through air from one floor to other in high-rise buildings.
According to the study published, “One of the concerns is that there may be multiple transmission routes across households in high-rise residential buildings, one of which is the natural ventilative airflow through open windows between flats, caused by buoyancy effects.”
“Our early on-site measurement using tracer gases confirmed qualitatively and quantitatively that the re-entry of the exhaust-polluted air from the window of the lower floor into the adjacent upper floor is a fact.”
Here’s another study that puts stamp on the fact that COVID-19 does get transmitted through air
According to a study published in December 2020, in the context of SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the Covid-19 pandemic — found results “consistent with the vertical spread of virus-laden aerosols” between “aligned flats connected by drainage pipes in the master bathrooms”.
Basically, this study was conducted to ascertain Covid-19 sources in three families living in China. They contracted Covid-19 between January 26 and February 13 last year. One of the families had returned from Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak from where it spread to rest of the world. The researchers established that there was no contact between the three families that could have led to transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Subsequently, the researchers examined the elevator route of transmission and said, “No evidence was found for transmission via the elevator or elsewhere.”
“The families lived in 3 vertically aligned flats connected by drainage pipes in the master bathrooms. Both the observed infections and the locations of positive environmental samples are consistent with the vertical spread of virus-laden aerosols via these stacks and vents,” they said.
Third corroboration
Meanwhile this paper examining scientific literature on the possibility of Covid-19 outbreak in high-rise buildings authenticates the probability of the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
This clearly lists out faulty ventilation systems, air leakage or unintentional air flows and faulty plumbing stacks as the possible means of the spread of deadly coronavirus in multi-unit residential buildings. This paper lays great emphasis on ventilation systems.
However, some other studies include those conducted in the famous example of a Chinese restaurant where nine people got infected with SARS-CoV-2 in January 2020. The air conditioner was blamed for the infectious spread. But in the same example 79 other diners did not catch the infection.
What does this indicate? Well, this clearly indicates that while faulty plumbing, staircases and elevators can be a transmission route of SARS-CoV-2, the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems have not been found to be a Covid-19 spreader between flats in high-buildings.
Conclusion
On the basis of the studies conducted, yes, vertical transmission of Covid-19 from one flat to another in a high-rise building is possible.
However, do you know how a well-ventilated room can reduce risk of COVID? Click here for more details on that.