Cluster-Randomized Trial of Air Filtration and Ventilation to Reduce Covid19 Spread in Homes

Stanford University

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Covid19

Treatments: Device: Filtration Fan; Behavioral: Mid-week phone call; Behavioral: Safe-home pamphlet

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05777720

5T32AI052073-17 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

55479

Details and patient eligibility

About

Investigators are evaluating whether an intervention consisting of box-fans with MERV 16 filters ("filtration fans") and recommendations for improving ventilation in the home can reduce secondary spread of Covid19 from an index case to susceptible contacts within the home.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Household members live in a shared space (apartment, home) with others (as opposed to renting single rooms in a shared space, for example)
• At least 3 other people live in the household aside from index case

Exclusion criteria

• If index case test positive day was over 2 days prior
• If half or more household members are thought to be infected already
• If household has fewer than 3 contacts interested in participating in the study
• If fewer than 3 contacts are expected to be present in the house for a majority of the following 7 days

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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200 participants in 2 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

No intervention will be administered in this arm. Investigators will give families a CO2 monitor to measure average CO2 levels in the home. Investigators will provide a link to the basic CDC isolation guidelines which would be part of standard of care. Investigators will test family members at day 0-1 for baseline testing; and again on day 7 for assessing secondary transmission among susceptible contacts.

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Families are provided with one filtration fan unit per room in their home (and one for the index case; if the family lives in a studio, they would receive 2 units). Investigators will advise families on ventilation improvements in their home. Investigators will provide an instructional pamphlet that describes how the fans work and the importance of ventilation. Investigators will follow-up on day 3-4 to check in and run through a checklist to ensure the fans are working and ventilation improvements are being attempted. Investigators will give families a CO2 monitor to measure average CO2 levels in the home. Investigators will test family members at day 0-1 for baseline testing; and again on day 7 for assessing secondary transmission among susceptible contacts.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Safe-home pamphlet

Behavioral: Mid-week phone call

Device: Filtration Fan