Advice on keeping homes well ventilated this winter

As temperatures fall and the days get shorter, we’ll be spending more time indoors – to help keep Covid-19 under control, here’s some advice on keeping our homes well ventilated this winter.

We know that Coronavirus is an airborne virus. When an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks and breathes, droplets of the virus hang in the air and can easily be passed on to others.

It’s important to maintain a flow of fresh air in our homes to help remove stale air and dilute any virus particles, reducing the risk of Covid spread.

The simplest way to improve ventilation at home is to open windows and doors.

If your windows have openings at both the top and the bottom (such as sash windows), using just the top opening will help incoming fresh air warm up as it mixes with room air, reducing cold draughts.

Make sure that any trickle vents (small vents usually on the top of a window) or grilles are open and not blocked. Air coming in through these vents will mix with warmer room air as it enters, which helps keep the room at a comfortable temperature.

Opening windows and doors at opposite sides of your home will also provide a good flow of fresh air.

If possible, keep opening doors and windows regularly throughout the day to allow a constant flow of fresh air into the home – particularly when you have visitors or when several generations of the family are gathered together.

Watch this NHS video from a doctor explaining how good ventilation helps prevent the spread of Covid.

Laura Wharton, Consultant in Public Health at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

We know that in poorly ventilated rooms the amount of virus in the air can build up, increasing the risk of spreading not only Covid-19, but also colds and flu, especially if there are infected people in the room.

Viruses can remain in the air after an infected person has left, but regularly opening doors and windows definitely help to dilute virus particles and replace stale air with fresh air.

As we head into winter, transmission at home is going to be more of a problem for homes with several people living together – as we’ve seen before.

I’d encourage everyone to follow this simple advice to keep opening windows and doors regularly to help keep everyone safe.

Coun Mohammed Khan CBE, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, added:

After having the highest Covid case rates in England for such a long time, Blackburn with Darwen has come so far. The borough’s virus rates are now lower than the national average and the England average – and that’s down to everyone’s efforts to keep themselves safe, and keep their loved ones safe.

As we head into the typical cold and flu season, when viruses circulate, we would like to keep our Covid case rates down. Keeping our homes well-ventilated is one simple thing we can all do.

Find more info about keeping our homes well ventilated to prevent the spread of Covid on the Council website: www.blackburn.gov.uk/coronavirus/support-residents

There’s also more ventilation advice on the gov.uk website.