DUBAI: Every day some 7 billion elevator journeys take place. Those were the days when lifts can be packed with people. Well, not anymore. Today, there are well-established elevator mandates, discouraging passengers from talking, overcrowding, among others.
This may remain so for the foreseeable future. And that’s because elevators meet at least two conditions known to contribute to the easy spread of the coronavirus: High-touch surfaces and people confined in a tight space breathing each other’s air. In some countries, like Germany, France, The Netherlands, Norway, a “third wave” of COVID-19 cases are still spiking again exponentially, though case numbers are starting to drop in countries that have ramped up vaccinations, including the UAE.
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Otis Worldwide Corporation released the results of a three-month academic study that investigates how elevator airflow affects potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus and a science-based approach for how to mitigate that exposure in elevators.
Findings show the significant amount of air exchange present in most elevators combined with simple mitigation strategies, including all riders properly wearing a surgical-style mask (1) and the installation of a common type of air purification (2) system, puts an elevator ride on the lower end of the exposure spectrum. The study concludes that a short elevator ride represents a relatively low risk of exposure compared to several everyday activities – less than outdoor dining and comparable to a trip to the supermarket – when simple mitigation is in place. Otis is the world s leading company for elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service.
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FARMINGTON, Conn., Jan. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS) today released the results of a three-month academic study that investigates how elevator airflow affects potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus and a science-based approach for how to mitigate that exposure in elevators. Findings show the significant amount of air exchange present in most elevators combined with simple mitigation strategies, including all riders properly wearing a surgical-style mask
1 and the installation of a common type of air purification
2 system, puts an elevator ride on the lower end of the exposure spectrum. The study concludes that a short elevator ride represents a relatively low risk of exposure compared to several everyday activities – less than outdoor dining and comparable to a trip to the supermarket – when simple mitigation is in place. Otis is the world s leading company for elevator and escalator manufacturing,