The role of air conditioning in the diffusion of Sars-CoV-2 in indoor environments: A first computational fluid dynamic model, based on investigations performed at the Vatican State Children's hospital

Background: About 15 million people worldwide were affected by the Sars-Cov-2 infection, which already caused 600,000 deaths. This virus is mainly transmitted through exhalations from the airways of infected persons, so that Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems might play a role in increasing or reducing the spreading of the infection in indoor environments. Methods: We modeled the role of HVAC systems in the diffusion of the contagion through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of cough at the Bambino Gesu Vatican State Children's Hospital. Both waiting and hospital rooms were modeled as indoor scenarios. A specific Infection-Index (eta) parameter was used to estimate the amount of contaminated air inhaled by each person present in the simulated indoor scenarios. The potential role of exhaust air ventilation systems placed above the coughing patient's mouth was also assessed. Results: Our CFD-based simulations of the waiting room show that HVAC air-flow remarkably enhances infected droplets diffusion in the whole indoor environment within 25 s from the cough event, despite the observed dilution of saliva particles containing the virus. At the same time also their number is reduced due to removal through the HVAC system or deposition on the surfaces. The proper use of Local Exhaust Ventilation systems (LEV) simulated in the hospital room was associated to a complete reduction of infected droplets spreading from the patient's mouth in the first 0.5 s following the cough event. In the hospital room, the use of LEV system completely reduced the eta index computed for the patient hospitalized at the bed next to the spreader, with a decreased possibility of contagion. Conclusions: CFD-based simulations for indoor environment can be useful to optimize air conditioning flow and to predict the contagion risk both in hospitals/ambulatories and in other public/private settings.

Automated summary

The study utilized CFD simulations to analyze the role of HVAC systems in infection transmission, demonstrating that HVAC systems accelerate the spread of infected droplets in indoor environments. Proper use of Local Exhaust Ventilation systems (LEV) in hospital rooms significantly reduces the spread of droplets from the patient's mouth, decreasing the risk of contagion.