Clean air saves lives.
We have the power to prevent airborne illnesses.
It's time to take action and clean the air.
Airborne illnesses have become increasingly common in recent years. In fact, flu cases recently hit a multi-decade high in the United States. In Germany, sick absences recently reached a new record and were 40% above their average before the pandemic.
These infections strain medical facilities, disrupt schools, and cost the economy billions. They also cause pneumonia, which was a top 10 cause of death in 2024.
Luckily, we have tools that clean the air and drastically reduce the spread of these illnesses. To learn how they work and why we need them, check out the research report and the FAQ.
How can we reduce airborne disease?
Respiratory protection:
- Avoiding infections in crowded indoor areas is key. Masking in hospitals, public transit, and busy stores makes a big difference.
- High-quality respirators (N95s) offer the best protection. They prevent the wearer from catching, as well as spreading, airborne disease.
- Unlike vaccines, respirators work just as well on new strains as they do on previous strains.
- Importantly, respirators are one of the only tools that can prevent transmission at very close distances.
- Surgical masks are less effective than respirators, but they still can provide meaningful protection if they are sealed tightly using medical tape.
Engineering systems:
- Increasing ventilation can drastically reduce transmission risk. It does have limits; at very close distances, even well-ventilated areas have a moderate risk of transmission.
- Air purifiers are another impactful tool. They effectively remove viruses and other pathogens from the air and trap them in their filters. Some models use PC fans, which make the devices much quieter and less likely to be turned off due to noise concerns.
Data-driven decisions:
- The most powerful tools are those that are based on well-modeled physical principles.
- This is the case for the tools above, and they're also strongly supported by real-world data.
To learn more, explore the full research report.