Highly Uncool

MORE than in summer, one revels in air-conditioning in the monsoons, when the weather is unequivocally humid, sweaty and wet. But did you kn...

MORE than in summer, one revels in air-conditioning in the monsoons, when the weather is unequivocally humid, sweaty and wet. But did you know that the conditioned or cooled air inside a closed room can actually be harmful to your health?

Are air-cons and coolers a health hazard?
Yes, say doctors, and they aren8217;t talking about the nesting place they provide mosquitoes and other insects. Constant circulation of enclosed air can be a health hazard.

8216;8216;Droplet infection or air-borne diseases are very common in rooms that are air-conditioned or closed round the clock,8217;8217; says Dr Anil Arora, senior consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi. 8216;8216;The infection or disease-causing organism sticks to dust particles. Healthy and unwell people inhale the same air and the disease gets transmitted from one to the other.8217;8217;

What are the common diseases that thrive in closed environments?
Droplet Infection: Tuberculosis is a major risk if one is in a closed environment with an infected person.

Respiratory Diseases: Pollen and dust are the main sources of allergy for many people and cause sore throats and allergic rhinitis runny nose. Pollen and dust attack the respiratory track directly; if they reach the lungs, they can trigger bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis.

Air-borne Contact Dermatitis ABCD: This skin disease is a common fallout of recycled air, more so in the rainy season. 8216;8216;People with hypersensitive skin develop allergies if the body is exposed to causative organisms,8217;8217; says Dr Arora.

gal Infection: If the outer sheath of air-coolers8212;a dust trap8212;is not cleaned regularly or is left wet for long periods, it can give rise to fungal infections.

Story continues below this ad

how can I keep the diseases at bay?
Dr Arora has these suggestions:

Ensure the room of a sick person is aired regularly. No one should be exposed to an unwell person in a closed room for long periods of time.

Air-conditioners should be cleaned regularly.

During the cooler parts of the day, open doors and windows to encourage cross-ventilation.

Use air-conditioners only when necessary.

If you8217;re lucky enough to get a lot of sun in the house, let it stream in occasionally instead of warding it off with chiks and curtains.

Story continues below this ad

If your workplace is centrally air-conditioned, insist on the laminar flow. This system, usually used in operation theatres, forces high velocity air into the room.