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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCoronavirus and the Sun
Last edited Fri Mar 13, 2020, 01:25 PM - Edit history (1)
On MSNBC yesterday, a medical expert was explaining why viruses become less virulent during the summer months. Apparently the increased sunlight or UV rays makes the virus inactive and less likely to spread. This morning I came across this article about the subject.
Coronavirus and the Sun: a Lesson from the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Put simply, medics found that severely ill flu patients nursed outdoors recovered better than those treated indoors. A combination of fresh air and sunlight seems to have prevented deaths among patients; and infections among medical staff.[1] There is scientific support for this. Research shows that outdoor air is a natural disinfectant. Fresh air can kill the flu virus and other harmful germs. Equally, sunlight is germicidal and there is now evidence it can kill the flu virus.
During the great pandemic, two of the worst places to be were military barracks and troop-ships. Overcrowding and bad ventilation put soldiers and sailors at high risk of catching influenza and the other infections that often followed it.[2,3] As with the current Covid-19 outbreak, most of the victims of so-called `Spanish flu did not die from influenza: they died of pneumonia and other complications.
When the influenza pandemic reached the East coast of the United States in 1918, the city of Boston was particularly badly hit. So the State Guard set up an emergency hospital. They took in the worst cases among sailors on ships in Boston harbour. The hospitals medical officer had noticed the most seriously ill sailors had been in badly-ventilated spaces. So he gave them as much fresh air as possible by putting them in tents. And in good weather they were taken out of their tents and put in the sun. At this time, it was common practice to put sick soldiers outdoors. Open-air therapy, as it was known, was widely used on casualties from the Western Front. And it became the treatment of choice for another common and often deadly respiratory infection of the time; tuberculosis. Patients were put outside in their beds to breathe fresh outdoor air. Or they were nursed in cross-ventilated wards with the windows open day and night. The open-air regimen remained popular until antibiotics replaced it in the 1950s.
https://medium.com/@ra.hobday/coronavirus-and-the-sun-a-lesson-from-the-1918-influenza-pandemic-509151dc8065
https://medium.com/40%ra.hobday/coronavirus-and-the-sun-a-lesson-from-the-1918-influenza-pandemic-509151dc8065
dchill
(38,539 posts)ProudMNDemocrat
(16,793 posts)Vitamin D3 helps the Immune system as well as aid in the absorption of Calcium.
When I yravel, I always take additional D3.
intrepidity
(7,336 posts)I saw the same thing happen with that same site on a post here just awhile ago and didn't know how to fix it.
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)Social distancing takes advantage of the same thing. Be further apart, don't beat in contaminated air. Fresh air isn't a natural disinfectant, but is not as contaminated as air in a closed room.
Regarding sunlight killing coronavirus, no evidence to this.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/mar/11/facebook-posts/sun-exposure-does-not-kill-coronavirus/
In a statement published March 6, Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, UNICEFs deputy executive director for partnerships, addressed some misinformation about the coronavirus, including the fake handout.
.....
PatSeg
(47,602 posts)(sorry, can't remember his name) didn't say it "kills" the virus. It can slow it down or make it inactive and help prevent it from spreading. As for the "fresh air" assertions, the advantages of being outdoors are pretty obvious, as we are not breathing the same recycled air. Personally, I would not have called it a "disinfectant".
That said, UV rays have been used as a disinfectant. Right now China is using UV rays in public transportation and elevators to eradicate germs, cutting a 40-minute process down to just five minutes.
"After the epidemic happened... we were actively searching for a more efficient disinfection method," Qin Jin, deputy general manager at Yanggao told AFP.
He said that normally the process required the full attention of two staff, who sprayed disinfectant on surfaces in the bus before wiping them down. "The problem with this was that it might not reach certain corners," said Qin.
The group partnered with a technology supplier to set up an ultraviolet cleaning system and now, some of its buses are cleaned by UV rays.
https://www.france24.com/en/20200313-on-mission-to-eradicate-virus-germs-china-firms-see-the-uv-light
StarryNite
(9,460 posts)I grew up in the 1950s 1960s. When my sister, brother or I were sick, which wasn't often, my mom would get us outside if the weather was nice because she believed the sunshine and fresh air would help to heal us. I remember sitting outside at the picnic table playing with toys when I had the chickenpox. LOL
Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)About the disinfectant qualities of black lights or UV lights.
I would think the same principle would apply to sunlight.
PatSeg
(47,602 posts)the way others are clearing the shelves of hand sanitizer. Nothing like a crisis and fear to push people to buy stuff.
Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)I may get one for my home.
PatSeg
(47,602 posts)for some public transportation and elevators. Faster and easier than constantly spraying them down with disinfectants. You can only use strong chemicals for so long before they too can cause health issues or they run out of them.