The cost-effectiveness of standalone HEPA filtration units for the prevention of airborne SARS CoV-2 transmission.
Date
2022-05-12Journal
Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation : C/EPublisher
Springer NatureType
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Objective: Airborne infection from aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 poses an economic challenge for businesses without existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The Environmental Protection Agency notes that standalone units may be used in areas without existing HVAC systems, but the cost and effectiveness of standalone units has not been evaluated. Study design: Cost-effectiveness analysis with Monte Carlo simulation and aerosol transmission modeling. Methods: We built a probabilistic decision-analytic model in a Monte Carlo simulation that examines aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in an indoor space. As a base case study, we built a model that simulated a poorly ventilated indoor 1000 square foot restaurant and the range of Covid-19 prevalence of actively infectious cases (best-case: 0.1%, base-case: 2%, and worst-case: 3%) and vaccination rates (best-case: 90%, base-case: 70%, and worst-case: 0%) in New York City. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of improving ventilation rate to 12 air changes per hour (ACH), the equivalent of hospital-grade filtration systems used in emergency departments. We also provide a customizable online tool that allows the user to change model parameters. Results: All 3 scenarios resulted in a net cost-savings and infections averted. For the base-case scenario, improving ventilation to 12 ACH was associated with 54 [95% Credible Interval (CrI): 29-86] aerosol infections averted over 1 year, producing an estimated cost savings of $152,701 (95% CrI: $80,663, $249,501) and 1.35 (95% CrI: 0.72, 2.24) quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. Conclusions: It is cost-effective to improve indoor ventilation in small businesses in older buildings that lack HVAC systems during the pandemic.Data Availibility
We build an accompanying online dashboard for the model. Other data will be available upon request from the authors.Rights/Terms
© 2022. The Author(s).Keyword
Commercial spacesCovid-19
Economic evaluation
Improving ventilation
Prevention strategies
Restaurants and bars
SARS-CoV-2
Identifier to cite or link to this item
http://hdl.handle.net/10713/18876ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1186/s12962-022-00356-1
Scopus Count
Related articles
- Air cleaning technologies: an evidence-based analysis.
- Authors: Medical Advisory Secretariat.
- Issue date: 2005
- Factors affecting aerosol SARS-CoV-2 transmission via HVAC systems; a modeling study.
- Authors: Cotman ZJ, Bowden MJ, Richter BP, Phelps JH, Dibble CJ
- Issue date: 2021 Oct
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of indoor bioaerosols in hospitals: The influence of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
- Authors: Dai R, Liu S, Li Q, Wu H, Wu L, Ji C
- Issue date: 2021
- Assessment and mitigation of aerosol airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission in laboratory and office environments.
- Authors: Augenbraun BL, Lasner ZD, Mitra D, Prabhu S, Raval S, Sawaoka H, Doyle JM
- Issue date: 2020 Oct
- Effectiveness of portable air filtration on reducing indoor aerosol transmission: preclinical observational trials.
- Authors: Lee JH, Rounds M, McGain F, Schofield R, Skidmore G, Wadlow I, Kevin K, Stevens A, Marshall C, Irving L, Kainer M, Buising K, Monty J
- Issue date: 2022 Jan