Atmospheric CO2 monitoring to identify zones of increased airborne pathogen transmission risk in hospital settings

Abstract

Measures to reduce airborne pathogen transmission in health care settings, such as increased air exchange, air decontamination, and reductions in peak occupancy, can be expensive and disruptive, particularly when employed in an untargeted manner. We report the empirical identification of high transmission risk zones in a tertiary hospital, using carbon dioxide-based assessments of air exchange. This rapid, cost-effective, and unobtrusive approach led to the targeted remediation of a high transmission risk zone.