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Here’s a novel potential public health measure against the flu—kick up the humidity. The cold, dry months of winter signal the start of flu season. But previous research found only a weak correlation between the spike in flu rates and the drop in relative humidity. Now researchers from Oregon State University say that's because it's absolute, not relative, humidity that counts. Their study is in the February 9th edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Relative humidity is a function of temperature. During the dry winter, relative humidity is low in a warm house but high in the cold outside. Absolute humidity, however, is simply the total amount of water in the air. The less water in the air, the longer the flu virus survives. And that leads to a greater chance of someone catching the bug.
The scientists aren’t sure why humidity affects the flu virus survival. But they hope their discovery can be put to work. Emergency rooms and nursing homes, for example, could up their humidity during the winter. Maybe it’s time for a new health mantra: a sauna a day keeps the flu bug away.
—Adam Hinterthuer
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7 Comments
Add CommentLungs are stressed by very dry air. As a runner I've noticed that running in humid air is uncomfortable but easier on the lungs than dry air.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisColds and flu increase in winter, mainly because people enclose living areas, by closing doors and windows (to stop the cold temperature).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis traps the water droplets from cough and sneezes, that carry viruses and bacteria. Which other people are then more likely to breath.
Humidity is not significant.
saunas are dry
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thissteam rooms or turkish baths are humid
@JA I accepted that explanation until reading the opposite in sciam recently: "Influenza spreads most readily in winter, but crowding and closed windows have nothing to do with that seasonality. Rather cold air and low relative humidity seem to do the trick."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=updates-feb-08
Google-- "absolute humidity" AND influenza. Also, visit the www.influenza.bvsalud.org search engine.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDuring the last 24 months, published peer review studies, including repeatable test data, debunked the "cold weather - people occupying enclosed living areas"-myth re: influenza infections. "Everyman", today, has greater access to thousands of studies published daily (usually with data) by scientists seeking peer review corroborations and acclaims by their relentlessly- critical colleagues. The published research may be counter-intuitive and/or shocking,--but nonetheless often repeatable, if not conclusive.
It's OK if Grandma doesn't believe you. Just remind her that the scientific method + published peer review research provide Man's strongest tools for confronting Nature's ongoing avian flu arms race to its next pandemic.)
Above all-- take v. D daily, & stay up on your seasonal flu & pneumonia shots. Unlike the flu shots, Flumist, containing neurominidase ("N1" & "N2") antigens, may fortify your innate/humoral immunity to withstand pandemic candidate viruses, including H5N1, H9N2, etc.-- as might testify (or squeak) those lucky Italian mice who survived H5N1 challenge, post live-virus winter flu vaccinations.)
This information is helpful, but remember, young children are the #1 spreaders of germs. My child care started this new program - Germy Wormy Germ Awareness for Germ Transportation Vehicles ages 2 7. My child and I no longer play the "pass the germs game". This works, at home or daycare.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.germywormy.com
Give kids a PLACE to give their germs to instead of you!
JA, What you said does not make any sense. If you open the windows you raise the humidity. Think about what you wrote.
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