New ‘Stop COVID-19 hanging around’ campaign launched

A new campaign launches today across TV, radio stations and newspapers, demonstrating the importance of ventilation techniques to reduce the risks of catching COVID-19 this winter.

An explainer film – to be used on NHS and government digital channels – has been released by scientists from the Universities of Cambridge and Leeds, in collaboration with the government, demonstrating the positive impact of reducing COVID-19 levels indoors by opening a window for just 10 minutes every hour when socialising with others.

Part of a wider campaign, including national radio and press adverts, the key message will be to ‘Stop COVID-19 hanging around’. The film clearly shows the difference in airflow and airborne particle movement when indoors in relation to COVID-19.

Voiced by Dr Helen Lawal, the film demonstrates how, in a home setting, someone infected with the virus talking and interacting with another person produces a build-up of COVID-19 particles in the air. These particles then linger in an unventilated room, like smoke, meaning the risk of catching COVID-19 is significantly increased. However, COVID-19 particles disperse quickly when good ventilation is introduced, even for a short period.

While the life-saving vaccines remain the best defence against COVID-19 – giving over 90% protection against hospitalisation from the virus – people can still catch COVID-19 even if they have been double vaccinated. With around one in three people with COVID-19 showing no symptoms, it could be passed onto others without knowing. With fewer restrictions in place this winter, following the success of the vaccination programme, the act of refreshing air in the home when people have visitors is even more important for everyone to keep infections down.

The campaign comes as new research reveals almost two-thirds (64%) of the public didn’t know that ventilation was an effective way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at home. And only around a third of people (29%) are currently ventilating their home when they have visitors over. Only 3% of those surveyed continued to ventilate their homes for a period after their guests left.

In the run up to Christmas, as people spend more time socialising together indoors during the winter months, the potential for breathing in infectious COVID-19 particles will increase. The research showed that more than half (52%) of people will welcome an additional three people per week into their homes who do not live with them, and almost a third (30%) of households stated they will be entertaining more people in their homes than normal in the run up to Christmas.