Press Release: Failure To Acknowledge Airborne Transmission Is At The Root Of Current Flu Surge
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ISSUED 16/12/2025
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Failure To Acknowledge Airborne Transmission Is At The Root Of Current Flu Surge
Flu can be spread through the air when infected people talk, sing, cough, sneeze or simply breathe.
Public health advice must acknowledge airborne transmission so that we can effectively reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses.
Clean Air Advocacy Ireland (CAAI) is calling on Public Health leaders in Ireland to acknowledge the airborne transmission of flu and to update public messaging accordingly.
Airborne transmission, where viral particles float through the air like smoke, is a leading cause of flu infections, but public health messaging has failed to convey the significance of this route of infection and how people can protect themselves from it.
There has been a justified focus on flu vaccination, which is extremely important, but vaccines should be part of a layered approach which also addresses the main causes of infection, and in the case of respiratory viruses their transmission is largely airborne.
Airborne infection is particularly prevalent in poorly-ventilated or crowded indoor environments, and at this time of year there are plenty of those, such as school classrooms, public transport, bars, restaurants, shops, and healthcare settings.
A statement that respiratory viruses are airborne needs to be issued by Public Health leaders so that public policies and personal behaviours can be accurately informed.
In addition to advising people to get vaccinated and wash their hands, CAAI wants the Health Service Executive to inform the public on how to reduce the spread of common airborne illnesses such as flu, RSV, and Covid-19. This advice should include:
Keeping indoor environments well ventilated - through mechanical or natural means - to avoid the build-up of stale air which may be loaded with airborne pathogens. In homes or classrooms this can be achieved by keeping some windows ajar and through “flushing” the indoor space with fresh air at regular intervals.
Using air filters or air purifiers, especially those equipped with HEPA filters, to remove pathogens from the air. London has recently mandated that all school classrooms in the city should have air filters installed, and has provided funding for that.
Using CO2 monitors to measure indoor air quality. These simple devices display the carbon dioxide levels in a room, and this can indicate when the windows need to be opened or when the air in the room needs to be flushed. CO2 levels should be kept below 800ppm.
Wearing N95/FFP2 respirators. Well-fitted N95 masks remove viruses and other harmful particles from the air we inhale, so they can protect individuals in crowded indoor settings where exposure to airborne viruses is high, such as on public transport or in healthcare settings. Surgical masks are not sufficient as they leave large gaps through which unfiltered air can be inhaled.
If you are unwell or displaying any symptoms of illness, you should stay at home if at all possible so that you don’t pass your infection on to others.
“It’s time to grasp the nettle of airborne transmission,” says Dr Ciara Steele, a Donegal-based GP and co-founder of CAAI. “We need an evidence-informed public health response to reduce the airborne spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19 and RSV.”
“We cannot expect the general public, or institutions like schools and hospitals, to take the appropriate actions to reduce flu transmission if they are not being informed about how it is spreading, and it is mainly spreading through the air that we breathe indoors.”
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