Can portable air filters prevent respiratory infections and COVID-19 in care homes?

Press release issued: 21 October 2021

A major new randomised controlled trial will investigate the effectiveness of air filtration systems in preventing respiratory infections (such as coughs, colds and flu) and COVID-19 among care home residents in England. The AFRI-c (Air Filters to Prevent Respiratory Infections including COVID-19 in Care Homes) study, which received funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), is led by researchers at the University of Bristol.

There are currently 220,000 people aged over 65 living in UK care homes. This number is predicted to double by 2040, and as highlighted by the devastating effects of COVID-19 in care homes, reducing the spread of infections in care homes is a research priority.

Read the full University of Bristol press release

Further information

For further information about the trial, which started this autumn, please email: afric-study@bristol.ac.uk.

About the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol

The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at the University of Bristol is a leading centre for primary care research in the UK, one of nine forming the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. It sits within Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching. Follow us on Twitter: @capcbristol

About the National Institute for Health Research

The mission of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:

Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.