Research project in Helsinki reveals 18.2% reduction in children’s illnesses through air purification

A two-year research project in Helsinki’s daycare centers has successfully concluded, revealing surprising results that challenge established perceptions of how illnesses spread among children. Contrary to expectations, the study found that simply purifying the air in daycare facilities led to an impressive 18.2% reduction in children’s illnesses. Researchers noted that the age and gender of the children did not influence the rates of infections.

According to Dr. Enni Sanmark, who leads the E3 Pandemic Response project, these findings prompt a reevaluation of the long-held belief that diseases in daycare settings primarily spread through droplets and direct contact. “With such a significant reduction solely from air purification, we can demonstrate that a notable amount of infections actually spreads through the air. This offers a new avenue for disease prevention that we have not previously utilized,” she stated.

The study involved four similarly constructed daycare centers, with air purifiers introduced in varying phases. During the first year, two centers received portable air purifiers for the infection season. In the following year, the devices were switched to the other two centers for comparative analysis. Initial results after the first year indicated significant benefits from the air purifiers, with children’s illnesses decreasing by almost one-third.

Parents reported their children’s illnesses weekly throughout the two-year study, which included 51 children from nearly 60 families. Additional comparative data was collected from over 500 families across Helsinki’s daycare system.

Dr. Sanmark emphasized that the air cleaning intervention is both practical and cost-effective for disease prevention in public spaces, potentially offering a solution that outweighs the costs associated with illnesses. Young children typically experience 10 to 13 infectious diseases annually, which also impacts daycare staff and leads to increased parental absenteeism from work.