Nov. 16 Workshop to Explore Indoor Air Management of Airborne Pathogens

An upcoming virtual workshop hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will focus on the transmission of airborne pathogens in public transit. On Nov. 16, the workshop will examine the state of knowledge and strategies for preventing and controlling the transmission of airborne pathogens in public transit, discuss relevant progress made since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, and seek to identify gaps in research, implementation, and regulations. During one of the workshop sessions, participants will share case studies on topics including New York City transit travelers and workers, reducing the risk of infectious disease in the Washington, D.C., transit system, and reducing the risk of virus transmission on London’s public transport vehicles. The National Academies asks participants to fill out an anonymous questionnaire prior to the workshop that will collect information related to the opportunities and challenges encountered by stakeholders while working toward the management of airborne pathogens in indoor air.

This workshop is the third in a series on indoor air management. Previous workshops addressed the management of airborne pathogens in buildings and in schools. The workshop series is intended to bring together stakeholders to discuss novel scientific discoveries, community knowledge, and real-world observations in indoor environments to help inform public health decisions and guidance at all levels of government. The description of the series explains that participants will explore strategies for airborne disease control and risk reduction in the built environment and enclosed places. This series serves as a follow-up to the National Academies’ 2020 workshop that focused on the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Individuals who are interested in attending the Nov. 16 workshop can register at no cost via Eventbrite.