30 July

I've been looking at the research on air ionisers. These suckers really work, they inactivate bacteria and viruses in the air, as well as particulate matter. In a trial in a U.K. Hospital, they reduced the rate of transmission of an airborne bacterial disease to zero, which surprised even the researchers. So I'd recommend these highly, if you want to reduce the risks of catching colds and flu for example, and wonder why they don't install them in public buildings and public transport, especially hospitals. You can even get cheap portable ones to carry with you. (The ones that generate ozone are a waste of time, you want a negative ion generator.) Some house air conditoners, like the Panasonic ones I bought, now have this built in, and don't just kill bacteria, viruses and moulds in the air, but also on surfaces. Do they have these in hospitals, do you know, Dave Nell Thompson?