Open Air Factor: a natural form of infection control?

Photo: Jonas Weckschmied/Unsplash - A leading infectious diseases expert from The Australian National University (ANU) suggests a forgotten but formidable protective agent that's been documented in medical journals for close to two centuries could be key to defending against airborne bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19. Professor Peter Collignon AM said the fresh air we breathe outdoors has certain germicidal properties that can "dilute" and limit the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses outside. "This is why being outdoors helps protect people from contracting COVID-19," Professor Collignon said. Professor Collignon is calling on medical authorities to urgently better investigate the beneficial qualities of this overlooked, pathogen-fighting agent, known as the Open Air Factor (OAF). The infectious diseases physician and microbiologist says OAF continues to be neglected in public health as a form of infection control. This is despite documented evidence of "open-air therapy" being used to treat tuberculosis patients in sanatoria during the first decade of the 20th century, and to treat soldiers' infected wounds during the First World War. "We know the best form of protection against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated and stay up-to-date with boosters," Professor Collignon, a co-author of the paper published in Cureus , said.