Investigating the Ventilation System of an Intensive Care Unit in the COVID-19 Crisis: A Study in a Hospital of Tehran, Iran

Moradpour, Zahra; Hesam, Ghasem; Helmi_Kohnehshahri, Mehrdad; Bokharaei-Salim, Farah; Pouyakian, Mostafa; Zendehdel, Rezvan

Investigating the Ventilation System of an Intensive Care Unit in the COVID-19 Crisis: A Study in a Hospital of Tehran, Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Zahra Moradpour ¹

Ghasem Hesam ¹

Mehrdad Helmi_Kohnehshahri ¹

Farah Bokharaei-Salim ²

Mostafa Pouyakian ¹

Rezvan Zendehdel ¹

¹ Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: Ventilation system besides other prevention strategies such as surface disinfecting and personal protective equipment (PPE) decrease the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. This study aimed to examine the ventilation system of an intensive care unit (ICU) in a hospital in Tehran, Iran to evaluate the potency of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) for COVID-19 spread.
Materials and Methods: Contamination of air turnover caves was evaluated in supplier diffuser and extractor grills of negative pressure HVAC by ten samples. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) in the samples was evaluated by the real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, air conditioning and sick building syndrome (SBS) was assessed according to MM040EA questioning from health care workers.
Results: In the health care workers, respiratory effects were more prevalent compared to other signs. Despite suitable air conditioning, this study highlighted carrier potency of ICU workers for SARS-COV-2.
Conclusion: According to our results, although the HVAC of ICU ward had an appropriate air movement, it was not safe enough for health care workers.

Keywords

Health care workers

HVAC system

Intensive care unit

SARS-CoV-2

Sick building syndrome