Key takeaways:
Health experts recommend using air purifiers to help prevent illness during cold and flu season, as viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2 are carried in respiratory aerosols.
Health experts recommend operating your air purifier continuously at a low speed to minimize the risk of illness. If someone is actively sick, prioritize high fan speed.
Our exclusive lab data reveals that the Shark HP232 Coway Airmega 400S
Other important factors for illness prevention include an air purifier with a true HEPA filter and strategically placing the unit in your home.
As a wellness writer who lives in Southern California, I've primarily used my air purifiers during wildfire season. However, I've always wondered whether these devices can also help prevent illness during cold and flu season.
According to CNET's exclusive lab data, the answer is yes. And health experts agree.
Pediatric allergist and clinical immunologist Dr. Zachary Rubin tells CNET that viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2, a member of the coronavirus family, are carried in respiratory aerosols, which are particles that get exhaled while you’re breathing, coughing, talking or sneezing. These are usually under 5 μm in size, but many can be smaller than 1 μm, and your air purifier should be able to remove them.
Primary care and urgent care physician Dr. Steven Goldberg, the chief medical officer at molecular testing laboratory HealthTrackRX, notes that an air purifier capable of removing 0.3 μm particles is a particularly vital benchmark for viral aerosol removal, especially since manufacturers often rate purifier filters by their efficiency in removing particles of this size.
To put this to the test, CNET Labs placed 12 popular air purifiers in a smoke chamber to measure their ability to filter five different particle sizes, both fine and coarse, from the air. Two models emerged as top performers for their speedy results, making them must-have devices for cold and flu season.
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