IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,802
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
See the earlier discussion/explanation about filters in general and efficacy of them. HEPA filter are N100 filters. They still only filter particles greater that 0.3 microns in size, they just do it more effectively.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus and the droplets that it is encapsulated in from breathing/speaking/coughing are much smaller than 0.3 microns.
So, you can bet if someone is sick on an airplane, those droplets are floating around free for all to breathe in. HEPA filters won't do much at all to take them out of the air.
HEPA filtration stops all known viruses even those spread by droplet nuclei such as measles and varicella. Coronavirus is spread by droplet (bigger than droplet nuclei) so HEPA filtration will remove coronavirus from airline cabin air.
In an airline cabin there will be droplet spread from your fellow passengers nearby coughing or talking but any air that has been recirculated (from the vents) will be virus free.
I was a hospital epidemiologist at a Harvard teaching hospital for over ten years and this sort of thing was discussed frequently. Coronavirus requires less stringent air control than measles, Tb, or chickenpox.