Can air purifiers really help against the threat of viruses amidst a pandemic? Tatler investigates
You may have seen it dangling around the necks of people walking on the street. Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, personal air purifiers have come a thing. Whereas during pre-pandemic, such things were virtually unheard of, now everyone's been telling everyone else to get one. But does it really work? Can this little electronic necklace really give people a substantial defence against the virus?
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What is it?
From as early as last year, President Rodrigo Duterte had been seen wearing an electronic necklace while on duty. When asked, then-Presidential Spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, stated that it was air purifier meant to protect him "from persons within his proximity who have coughs and colds". While doctors then had expressed scepticism over its effectivity, the device has only grown in popularity from the context of the pandemic.
Most manufacturers claim that a personal air purifier is capable of creating a bubble of "clean air" around the wearer's head. They are said to eliminate airborne germs, bacteria, toxins, dirt, and — possibly — viruses. The science behind is that these devices emit negative ions that sweep away unwanted particles. This promise is appealing enough, though as many experts agree, it's not to be treated as an alternative to health protocol.