Study: Open These Two Windows if Driving in a Car With Someone During COVID-19

Opening a car window, and wearing a mask, when traveling with someone who’s not a household member sounds like guidance pulled straight from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention playbook. (It is.)  But now a study offers evidence that tells you which windows to open for the best protection against COVID-19.

Opening all windows is the best strategy, naturally, but that’s rarely practical. Surprisingly, having the driver and passenger open their windows is not as protective as opening windows opposite each occupant, according to a study by researchers from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Brown University. The opposite-window scenario constantly refreshes air between passengers, the study found, with air flowing in through the rear window and out the front — creating an “air curtain” between driver and passenger.

To read Dr. Faiqa Cheema’s full article please click here to visit the Hartford Healthcare’s website.