Thursday, November 22, 2007

Allerair Newsletter

President's Message


Dear Valued Dealers,

While November traditionally rings in the holiday shopping season, it also marks the start of flu season. This contagious respiratory illness is not only miserable, but potentially dangerous for our clientele with asthma and other pre-existing respiratory conditions. Many customers don't realize that an air cleaner equipped with a medical grade HEPA can actually trap larger airborne virus particles. Below we've included some interesting information on the flu and how an air cleaner can work as a prevention tool.

All the best for a wonderful month and a happy Thanksgiving,

Sam Teitelbaum,

President,

AllerAir Industries



Flu Prevention: How an Air Cleaner Can Help Your Clients

Flu Season: November to April

Who is most at risk for complications?

Asthmatics and those with respiratory problems
• Young children
• The elderly
• People with compromised immune systems

How is the influenza virus spread?
The flu spreads through thee major modes of transmission: large droplets and aerosols (small airborne particles) – spread mainly through coughing or sneezing and direct contact with secretions (on surfaces for example).

What can an air cleaner do?


Large-droplet transmission is the main way in which the influenza virus is acquired. Coughing or sneezing generates a substantial quantity of particles, a large number of which are less than 5 microns in diameter. Small particles are also a main concern because particles expelled by coughing or sneezing rapidly shrink in size as they evaporate.

AllerAir air purifiers like the AirMedic + UV , use medical-grade HEPA filters to capture 99.97% of all airborne particles at 0.3 microns in diameter and a germicidal UV light to help neutralize airborne microorganisms. When combined with other prevention practices, an air cleaner can be an important tool in the annual fight against the flu.

Sources:
Key Facts About Seasonal Influenza (Flu), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm Retrieved Oct. 31st, 2007

Influenza, Public Health Agency of Canada, http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/influenza/, Retrieved Oct. 31st, 2007

Review of Aerosol Transmission of Influenza A Virus, Tellier, Raymond, Hospital for Sick Children Toronto & University of Toronto, Perspective Volume 12, Number 11–November 2006


In the news,

Air pollution seen raising preterm birth risk


NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A study conducted in Los Angeles County and published today shows the harmful effects traffic-related air pollution can have on pregnant women.

The data suggest that women who live in areas with high carbon monoxide or fine particle levels - pollution caused mainly by motor vehicle traffic -- are roughly 10 to 25 percent more likely to suffer preterm birth (delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy), compared with women who live in less polluted areas.

This is especially true for women who breathe polluted air during the first 3 months of pregnancy or during the last months and weeks before delivery.

Importantly, researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the association between air pollution and increased risk of preterm birth persists after accounting for other factors that might influence preterm birth risk such as smoking, exposure to second-hand smoke and alcohol use.

"Air pollution in Los Angeles County remains a major public health problem affecting everybody, particularly pregnant women," Dr. Beate Ritz from the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles noted in comments to Reuters Health.

Ritz and colleagues collected detailed information for more than 2,500 women who gave birth in Los Angeles County in 2003. By conducting one-on-one interviews with the women, the researchers were able to separate the air pollution risk from other preterm birth risk factors.

"Our research group had previously reported on the effect of carbon monoxide and fine particles, but because we relied on birth certificates, we did not have detailed information about other risk factors that some people suspected might bias our research findings," Beate explained.

This new study, she said, "helps confirm the results we reported previously - that air pollution mainly caused by vehicle traffic increases the risk of preterm birth even when we take other risk factors into account."

Research that identifies the harmful effects of pollution, Beate added, can help policymakers "in weighing the costs and benefits of reducing air pollution, both in terms of dollars and human health."

Source:
American Journal of Epidemiology, November 1, 2007.


Did you know?


Do you have environmentally sensitive clients who are concerned about EMF (Electro-magnetic Field). Most AllerAir units can be manufactured with a shielded cable. Ask your representative more about this unique option.



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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Manila Breathing Easier as ADB Releases Last Tranche for Clean Air Project

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (15 December 2003) - ADB has released the last US$100 million for the Metro Manila Air Quality Improvement Sector Development Program being implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) after achieving significant reductions in lead and sulfur dioxide levels.

A recent study showed improvements in blood lead levels among children in Metro Manila compared to 2000 when the unleaded gasoline policy was first implemented. Lead poisoning reduces intelligence quotients, especially in children. At its worst, the level of lead exposure in Metro Manila can cause an average loss of five IQ points in children as well as heart disease and premature death.

"Despite many challenges, the Government has made significant progress with the program and has achieved the benchmark reforms it set for the release of this second and last tranche," notes Yue-Lang Feng, the senior ADB officer in charge of the program.

"The Government will continue its efforts as air quality management and improvement is a long-term process."

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