- Novaerus at McGreals survey finds 41% currently feel safe from COVID-19 transmission
- But high levels of ‘unease’ remain as workers prepare to return to the office and public returns to indoor settings
- Ahead of International Day of Clean Air, 80% now strongly acknowledge airborne transmission of COVID-19
Monday, 6 September 2021 – Research conducted by Novaerus at McGreals, distributors of the Irish-made Novaerus air disinfection devices, reveals cautious optimism ahead of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions next month, with more than 40% of survey respondents saying they now feel safe from transmission of the virus.
The survey, which examined people’s ‘comfort levels’ around the possibility of contracting or transmitting COVID-19 this autumn/winter, also highlights a disparity in attitudes towards indoor settings versus public environments. And, while an overall 41% of respondents say they now feel safe, 15% still feel ‘quite’ to ‘extremely’ unsafe, depending on the context.
Levels of unease: where do we feel least safe?
In relation to the possibility of contracting or transmitting the virus, the Novaerus at McGreals research found that:
- Public transport (which returned to full capacity on 1 September) is where people are most uneasy, with 70% of respondents saying that is where they feel most likely to contract/transmit COVID-19
- Hospitality and entertainment settings follow in second position, with 66% saying they are concerned about returning to pubs, restaurants, concerts
- Healthcare environments are in third position, with 62% expressing concern
- Sports events are in fourth position, with 60% uneasy about returning
- In joint fifth position are workplace environments and educational settings (schools, colleges) with 54% concerned
Indoor settings: what are our safety priorities?
With vaccination levels in Ireland among the highest anywhere in the EU, the Government’s announcement of a full easing of restrictions by 22 October has been broadly welcomed. When it comes to returning to indoor settings such as hospitality, public transport, and retail environments, however, optimism is mixed with caution as most Irish people want to see a retention of the health and safety protocols, we have all become used to.
In the context of indoor public settings, the Novaerus at McGreals research asked respondents which safety measures are most important to them, with results largely reflecting public health messaging to date:
- 26% want to see all staff/public continuing to wear masks when moving around the venue
- 24% want to see the EU Digital Cert / COVID-19 vaccine pass used for indoor access
- 15% want to see strict social distancing measures implemented
- 8% want to see regular handwashing among staff/public
- 7% want to see technology used that disinfects the air / inactivates the virus at DNA level
- 6% want to see doors and windows left open
- 5% want to see staff/public practising good respiratory hygiene (e.g., coughing into elbow)
- 4% want to see rapid antigen testing for access
- 1% want to see use of CO2 monitors
Airborne transmission: not enough being done?
Global research has homed in on airborne transmission as the primary source of COVID-19 infection and a far greater risk than via surface infection. The danger of airborne or ‘aerosol’ transmission has in turn put the spotlight on the need to protect our indoor air, with technology the best way to keep people safe.
In this respect, the survey showed a very high level of awareness of the dangers of airborne transmission, with 80% of respondents agreeing that COVID-19 is “predominantly an airborne virus transmitted from one person to another through the air”.
However, with Government guidelines still prioritising ventilation, most Irish people now feel not enough is being done to safeguard indoor air. 59% of survey respondents believe that keeping windows and doors open is not enough to ventilate a space efficiently, while 76% of respondents say they would feel much safer in a venue that uses technology to safely disinfect the air and deactivate the virus.
Ahead of International Day of Clean Air tomorrow, Deirdre Devitt, CEO of Novaerus at McGreals, says that indoor air quality will be a critical issue as we head towards winter. “It’s clear from our research that most Irish people now have serious reservations about the quality of air they are breathing indoors and that is both good news and a wake-up call,” she said.
“Ventilation alone will not keep people safe indoors because of the miniscule size of the virus and the huge volume of viral particles that can amass in classrooms, offices and other indoor settings,” Ms Devitt said. “Similarly, even the best hospital-grade HEPA or MERV filters on their own cannot trap or remove all COVID-19 viral particles as they are so tiny.”
‘Follow the science’ on indoor air
“While ventilation and CO2 monitors can help, they must be supported by a science-led approach to managing people and the indoor air they are breathing,” she said. “That means pro-actively treating indoor air with technology that has been independently proven to eliminate all viruses and micro-organisms, with no harmful by-products.”
“Novaerus air dis-infection technology is safe, simple to deploy, and extremely cost-effective,” Ms Devitt added. “The Taoiseach has said to ‘follow the science’, and when it comes to indoor air, we urge all employers, schools, hospitality owners and members of the public to do the same.”
Medical grade Novaerus air disinfection devices are made in Ireland and sold in 65 countries worldwide, protecting staff and people in multiple sectors of society. In Ireland, the technology is being widely deployed in education, retail, healthcare, business, hospitality, and live events – Novaerus also facilitated this year’s Temple Bar ‘Tradfest’ concerts in Dublin Castle as well as the FIBA European Basketball Championship for Small Countries at the National Basketball Arena last month.
Novaerus devices use patented ‘NanoStrike’ plasma technology that has been independently proven to inactivate 99.997% of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 as well as all airborne viruses and bacteria, all year round. For more information visit www.novaerus.ie .
ENDS
For more information, please contact Dawn Burke / Matthew Walsh at Cullen Communications on 087 215 6942 / 087 976 0224 / 01 668 9099 or email: dburke@cullencommunications.ie / mwalsh@cullencommunications.ie
Notes to Editor:
* Research sample size: 1,024 adults aged 16+. Research conducted by Behaviour & Attitudes from 5-16 August 2021.
About Novaerus distributed by McGreals Group
Novaerus is distributed by the McGreals Group based in Blessington, Co. Wicklow, which supplies the Novaerus portable air disinfection devices to retail, business, consumer, education, and health care sectors. McGreals provides a patient care-focused service across 11 outlets in the Leinster area, and in recent years has diversified into areas including optical, audiology, nutrition, and the development of primary care centres.
The Novaerus brand is part of WellAir, an Irish company on a mission to reduce indoor airborne pollutants and create living, working, and healing spaces that foster human health, productivity, and wellbeing. Manufactured in Ireland, Novaerus technology can be found in hundreds of hospitals, senior living facilities, schools, casinos, railway stations, residential and industrial facilities in 65 countries around the world.
For more information visit: www.novaerus.ie