Almost two thirds (60 per cent) of people in the North West say Covid-19 has changed their behaviour forever, admitting that there are things they will never do again following the pandemic.

Confidence in returning to pre-pandemic routines has declined sharply since last summer, as the second and current national lockdowns have cemented anxieties about air quality and health issues in the long term.

Research conducted amongst 2,000 UK adults in February found that a fifth (21 per cent) of those that live in the North West went as far as to say that they will refuse to return to ‘normal life’ unless robust public health measures are introduced.

The study, highlighted concerns held by members of the public, and found that overcrowding in public places, the lack of social distancing, and extended periods of time in enclosed spaces are among the reasons why people are reluctant to return to 'life as normal' when lockdown restrictions are eased.

Only one in ten (12 per cent) said they would feel completely at ease taking public transport when lockdown is lifted.

Four in five (83 per cent) said they wouldn’t feel comfortable in a pub or bar, with three quarters (75 per cent) claiming they would no longer feel relaxed in a restaurant or café.

Almost two thirds (64 per cent) even admitted that they wouldn’t be happy spending time in a friend’s house.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Released after data revealed a significant number of Covid-19 outbreaks occurred in offices during the first two weeks of the current lockdown in England, the poll showed that 41 per cent are reluctant to return to their office.

Meanwhile, just one in ten (12 per cent) would be happy to go to a theatre or cinema, and only 18 per cent to a museum or art gallery.

Two thirds (67 per cent) said they will not feel comfortable returning to high-street shops and supermarkets either.

These concerns can be linked to improved public awareness and understanding of perceived air quality in indoor settings since the start of the pandemic.

For indoor spaces, the favoured health and safety measures in the North West included strict capacity limits (52 per cent), open window policies to aid air flow (47 per cent) and permanent social distancing measures (43 per cent).

Those polled also believed that the installation of air sterilization systems should be made mandatory in theatres and cinemas (65 per cent), pubs and bars (64 per cent) and in the workplace (61 per cent), as two thirds (67 per cent) went as far to say that rating systems – similar to the ones used for food hygiene – should be introduced for air quality in indoor spaces.

The research comes as evidence suggests that the vast majority of Covid-19 infections happen indoors, and as experts highlight the lack of understanding around how aerosols – microscopic particles emitted from mouths that unlike droplets, float mid-air until they’re blown away – impact the transmission of airborne viruses.

Stephen Slater, Managing Director at So Pure Air, who conducted the survey commented: “We’ve been living with the pandemic and the new societal norms that came with it for so long now that it’s no surprise some of us feel a little uneasy about picking up where we left off and returning to life as we once knew it.

“As restrictions are lifted and we ease our way back into our day-to-day routines, it’s clear that that the majority of people won’t feel completely at ease until measures that are proven to either reduce the prevalence of germs in the air, or prevent the spread of them from person-to-person are introduced.

“It’s widely understood that transmissions of viruses – including Covid-19 – occur more often indoors, and scientific experts have highlighted the lack of understanding around how aerosols (microscopic particles emitted from mouths that unlike droplets, float mid-air until they’re blown away) impact the transmission of airborne viruses, meaning that this should should be a priority for us all as we come out of the pandemic – whether that’s via open-window policies, mandatory mask wearing or the compulsory introduction of technology that purifies air within enclosed spaces.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, levels of indoor air pollutants can be two to five times higher than outdoors.

Good ventilation can help reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19, and air cleaning and filtration units can be used to reduce airborne transmission where it isn't possible to maintain adequate ventilation.

Air filtration systems, including those developed by So Pure Air, use medical grade technology with three-stage air filtration, purification and sterilisation processes that trap and destroy up to 99.7 per cent of bacteria and airborne viruses.

For more information and resources on air sterilisation, visit www.sopureair.co.uk.

This study was conducted using just 2,000 adult participants, and therefore does not reflect the overall views of the majority of people in the North West.