THE Cebu City Government, through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), has urged business establishments to ensure that there is adequate ventilation in confined spaces.
This was the call of Councilor Joel Garganera, EOC deputy chief implementer, as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has loosened restrictions in areas under Alert Level 2 which also allows businesses to reopen.
EOC consultant Dr. Bryan Albert Lim said if an area is closed and the carbon dioxide (CO2) level cannot be controlled, it makes Covid-19 more transmissible if there is a carrier inside the area.
Lim said there are pieces of equipment that can be used to monitor CO2 levels so as to prevent the spread of the virus even if the air-conditioning units are turned on, and that there should be proper ventilation.
Non-dispersive infrared sensors, for example, can detect how much CO2 there is in an enclosed space and measures it in parts per million (PPM). It is considered low risk if it’s 700 PPM, moderate risk if it’s 700 to 800 PPM and high risk if it’s 800 to 1,000 PPM.
“The technology will determine the CO2 level, but if there is proper ventilation, there’s no need to worry. We can even increase the allowed capacity of the establishment if it is able to maintain safe levels of CO2,” said Garganera.
Garganera said if Cebuanos continued following minimum health protocol against Covid-19, they would enjoy Christmas and 2022 celebrations even more. (PAC / CCP)