Review: Designing Green Spaces for Health: Using Plants to Reduce the Spread of Airborne Viruses

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a virus-borne infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. COVID-19 transmission risks are increased in crowded, poorly ventilated areas where infected people spend longer periods of time together in close contact. Outbreaks have been noted in situations where people congregate, particularly in overcrowded indoor settings, and talk, yell, breathe deeply, or sing, such as restaurants, choir practises, fitness classes, nightclubs, workplaces, and places of worship. The daily increase of COVID-19 cases and deaths has resulted in a worldwide lockdown, quarantine, and certain limitations. Scientists and researchers from all around the world are working to solve this challenge. How can a designer contribute in such a situation? It is a matter of thinking about how the effect of COVID-19 can be reduced through the use of minor indoor plants used in homes or workplaces. This book focuses on integrating plants into spatial design to decrease viral infectiousness in various working and living environments. It discusses techniques for indoor and outdoor green design using plants that are expected to be useful for influenza virus tolerance and infectiousness decrease.