Using air purifiers in daycare centers reduces children's sick days by 30%
It has been found that simply installing air purifiers in facilities where young children gather, such as daycare centers and kindergartens, can reduce the risk of respiratory infections among children and reduce sick leave for both children and their parents.
The effect of room air cleaners on infection control in day care centers - ScienceDirect
Study: Air purifier use at daycare centers cut kids' sick days by a third | Yle News | Yle
https://yle.fi/a/74-20062381
Study demonstrates effectiveness of air cleaners at daycare centers - World Socialist Web Site
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/04/02/vpoj-a02.html
Ville A. Vartiainen and his colleagues at the University of Helsinki selected two child welfare facilities in Finland as their study subjects and installed air purifiers in each. The study was conducted during a six-month period from November to the end of April, when colds and flu are most prevalent.
Because air purifiers are expensive and there is limited space available within the facilities, Vartiainen and his colleagues used mathematical models to determine the optimal installation locations to maximize infection reduction. As a result, 22 air purifiers were installed in Facility A and 23 in Facility B. The air purifiers consisted of 14 different models from six manufacturers, with most of them operating at low speeds to minimize noise.
Comparing facilities with and without air purifiers, the researchers found that the risk of respiratory infections was reduced by an average of 53% in Facility A, where air purifiers were installed, and 37% in Facility B. As a result, children's sick leave was reduced by approximately 30%, and the number of days parents had to take off work to care for sick children also decreased.
'In facilities where air purifiers were used, there was a clear reduction in children becoming ill. Illness often spreads to the children's parents and facility staff, leading to adult absenteeism. The Finnish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs estimates that 1.3% of the country's gross domestic product is lost due to sick leave, so reduced absenteeism also leads to reduced economic losses. These benefits may even outweigh the costs of installing air purifiers,' said Vartiainen and his colleagues.
'Research has shown that purifying the air reduces airborne pathogens around the world, but this kind of study has never been done in daycare centers or schools before,' said Eni Sanmark of the University of Helsinki, who was involved in the study. 'In Finland, employers pay about 370 euros (about 60,000 yen) per day of sick leave, so if we can reduce illness, it will be a big savings.'
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