EPA Guidance and The National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the White House both recently issued statements stressing the importance of air quality in regard to COVID-19 safety.
According to the EPA, in order to select an air cleaner that effectively filters viruses from the air, you must choose a unit that is designated a HEPA unit. The EPA also states that in order for an air cleaner to be effective in removing viruses from the air, it must be able to remove small airborne particles in the size range of 0.1-1 micron.
Airmega uses multiple layers of filtration, including a Green True HEPA™ filter, that can capture and remove over 99.98%³ of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and more than 99.999%¹ of all airborne contaminants down to 0.01 microns, exceeding the EPA’s recommendation.
The statement from the EPA came as part of a Clean Air in Buildings Checklist, which was issued by the White House to encourage the improvement of indoor ventilation. The Checklist was published keeping in mind that while ventilation systems and equipment vary widely across building types, they play an important role in keeping building occupants safe regardless. Strong ventilation practices can reduce the number of virus particles and contaminants in the air, and thereby reduce the risk of virus or disease transmission.
The National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, released by the White House in March 2022, states:
The Checklist will include steps such as increasing outdoor air coming into buildings (e.g., through safely opening windows, doors, dampers, and other air openings; enabling cross-ventilation; and installing window/box fans); improving air filtration (e.g., through proper installation and maintenance of MERV-13 air filters; operating HVAC systems with increased introduction of outdoor air; investing in HVAC infrastructure and improvements); supplementing air handling with portable air cleaners (e.g., through assessment of current ventilation and filtration levels; and deploying portable air-cleaning devices with HEPA filters).
What constitutes a HEPA filter?
Most modern HEPA filters consist of interlaced glass fibers that are twisted turned and woven into a fibrous maze. As particles pass through this web through forced air, they’re taken out of circulation in the following ways:
- Direct Impaction: Large contaminants, such as certain types of dust, mold, and pollen, travel in a straight path, collide with fiber and stick to it.
- Sieving: The air stream carries a particle between two fibers, but the particle is larger than the gap, so it becomes ensnared.
- Interception: Airflow is nimble enough to reroute around fibers, but, thanks to inertia, particles continue on their path and stick to the sides of fibers.
- Diffusion: Small, ultrafine particles move more erratically than larger ones, so they’re more likely to hit and stick to fibers.
Coway Green True HEPA™ Filter Technology
Although HEPA filters are expected to trap 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns in size, some particles will inevitably get through. Activated carbon filters like those found in Airmega’s Max2 filters use small pores to capture the chemicals, odors, and smoke that a HEPA filter might not catch.
Coway Airmega 400 features Max2 filters are all-in-one HEPA filter systems that combine Green True HEPA™ filter technology with an activated carbon filter to remove up to 99.999%¹ of nano-sized particles down to 0.01 micron. That’s smaller than most allergens, bacteria, mold and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
Learn more about Airmega and create a healthier, safer environment for you and your loved ones today by visiting cowaymega.com/airmega.
