Yes, air purifiers can help prevent the cold and flu by reducing exposure to airborne particles that carry cold and influenza viruses indoors. Air purifiers support infection control by filtering airborne particles while working alongside ventilation and other hygiene measures. Cold and flu are contagious respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses that infect the nose, throat and airways. They spread through respiratory particles, coughing and sneezing, close contact, contaminated surfaces, touching contaminated surfaces and shared objects. Air purifiers target particles released when infected people cough, sneeze, talk or breathe.

Air purifiers provide additional protection for people at higher risk of complications, such as young children, older adults, pregnant people, people with chronic conditions, weakened immunity and certain disabilities. They reduce airborne viruses by pulling contaminated indoor air through efficient filters and returning cleaner air to the room. Air purifiers work most effectively when they run continuously in a central, open position with clear vents and suitable fan speeds. They also require regular filter replacement and cleaning to maintain airflow and filtration performance. Air purifiers should be chosen based on true HEPA filtration, suitable room coverage, strong CADR, adequate airflow, manageable noise and reasonable energy consumption. They should also avoid ozone-generating technology because ozone irritates the respiratory tract during respiratory infections.

What are cold and flu?

Cold and flu are contagious respiratory illnesses caused by many different viruses that infect the nose, throat and airways. They include more than 200 respiratory viruses that cause the common cold, with rhinoviruses being the most common, while influenza viruses, including type A and type B, cause the flu. Cold symptoms develop gradually and include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and mild cough. Flu symptoms appear abruptly and typically include fever, chills, body aches, headache and fatigue. The CDC reports that fever rarely accompanies a cold but commonly accompanies the flu.

How do colds and flu spread?

Colds and flu spread through respiratory particles, coughing and sneezing, close contact, contaminated surfaces, touching contaminated surfaces and shared objects. These transmission routes allow viruses to move from infected people or contaminated items to others, especially in shared indoor spaces. 

The ways colds and flu spread are given below.

• Inhaling respiratory particles: Colds and flu spread when a person inhales virus-containing respiratory droplets that an infected person breathes out after coughing, sneezing or talking.
• Coughing and sneezing: Colds and flu spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, which releases cold or flu viruses through respiratory droplets toward nearby people.
• Making close contact: Colds and flu spread through close contact when people talk, hug or shake hands with an infected person carrying an active respiratory infection.
• Touching contaminated surfaces: Colds and flu spread when a person touches contaminated surfaces such as doorknobs or countertops where viruses remain before transferring them to their hands.
• Touching the face: Colds and flu spread when contaminated hands transfer viruses to the eyes, nose or mouth, which gives viruses direct entry into the respiratory tract.
• Sharing contaminated objects: Colds and flu spread through shared objects such as utensils, phones or towels when viruses transfer from an infected person to another person.

Who is at higher risk of colds and seasonal flu?

Young children, older adults, pregnant people, people with chronic conditions and weakened immunity face higher risks of complications. These groups face greater risks because age, pregnancy, underlying conditions, immune function, living environments or physical limitations affect their response to respiratory infections. 

The people at higher risk of colds and seasonal flu complications are given below.

• Young children: Young children face a higher risk of flu-related complications because their immune systems are still developing and do not fight respiratory infections as effectively as adults.
• Older adults: Older adults aged 65 and older face changes in immune function that weaken the body’s ability to resist infection and recover quickly from illness.
• Pregnant people: Pregnant people experience changes to the heart, lungs and immune system that raise their risk of severe flu complications and hospitalization.
• Chronic conditions: People with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease face greater risk because respiratory infections worsen these underlying illnesses.
• Weakened immunity: People with weakened immunity, including those undergoing cancer treatment or living with HIV, face a higher chance of severe cold and flu complications.
• Long-term care residents: Long-term care residents face elevated risk because communal living increases exposure to respiratory infections and complicates rapid isolation of sick individuals.
• Certain disabilities: People with certain disabilities, such as neurologic and neurodevelopmental conditions, face higher risk because these conditions impair breathing and coughing.
• Severe obesity: People with severe obesity, defined as a body mass index of 40 or higher, face greater flu complication risk from limited lung capacity and immune response.

How can air purifiers help prevent colds and flu?

Air purifiers help prevent colds and flu by filtering airborne particles, reducing viral particles, improving indoor air quality, increasing air circulation and reducing virus exposure. These functions lower the concentration of infectious particles indoors while supporting other measures such as ventilation and hand hygiene. 

The ways air purifiers can help prevent colds and flu are given below. 

• Filtering airborne particles: Air purifiers use high efficiency filters to capture airborne particles such as dust, droplets and viral particles as small as 0.3 microns in indoor air before they are inhaled.
• Reducing viral particles: Air purifiers reduce viral particles suspended in indoor air by pulling contaminated air through filters and releasing cleaner air back into the room to lower exposure to viruses.
• Improving indoor air quality: Air purifiers improve indoor air quality by continuously removing dust, allergens and infectious particles that accumulate in enclosed, poorly ventilated rooms during prolonged indoor occupancy and shared activities.
• Increasing air circulation: Air purifiers increase air circulation by drawing stagnant air through filters multiple times per hour, which reduces stagnant areas where viral particles settle indoors during continuous room operation.
• Reducing virus exposure: Air purifiers reduce virus exposure by lowering the concentration of infectious particles in shared spaces, which decreases the amount of virus a person inhales indoors during close contact.
• Supporting cleaner air: Air purifiers support cleaner air by working alongside ventilation and hand hygiene to reduce the overall viral load inside a household and limit infectious particle buildup during indoor activities.

How to use an air purifier during cold and flu season?

To use an air purifier during cold and flu season, place it centrally, run it continuously, use higher speeds, keep vents clear and close nearby windows. These practices support consistent air filtration by keeping airflow unrestricted, maintaining filter performance and reducing indoor particle buildup during increased activity or illness. 

Tips to use an air purifier during cold and flu season are given below. 

• Place it centrally: Position the air purifier in a central, open area of the room so air circulates freely around the unit without nearby obstructions or interference.
• Run it continuously: Keep the air purifier operating around the clock during flu season to provide consistent air filtration and reduce viral particle buildup throughout indoor spaces.
• Use a higher speed: Increase the fan speed during increased activity or illness to move more air through the filter and reduce airborne viral particles faster indoors.
• Keep vents clear: Leave several inches of open space around the air purifier’s intake and outlet vents to maintain unrestricted airflow through the unit during continuous operation.
• Close nearby windows: Shut nearby windows and doors while the purifier operates so it filters indoor air instead of continuously drawing outdoor air into the room.
• Replace filters regularly: Replace HEPA and carbon filters according to the manufacturer’s schedule because clogged filters restrict airflow and reduce filtration performance over time.
• Clean it regularly: Wipe the exterior and vacuum the pre-filter every two to four weeks to prevent dust buildup from restricting airflow through the unit.
• Maintain ventilation: Open windows briefly when outdoor air quality allows to introduce fresh air and further dilute indoor viral concentrations alongside filtration throughout the day.

How to choose an air purifier for cold and flu?

Choose an air purifier for cold and flu by selecting a true HEPA filter, checking room coverage, comparing CADR, considering airflow and reviewing filter needs. These factors determine how effectively the purifier filters airborne particles while affecting its operating performance, maintenance requirements, comfort and operating costs.

The steps to choose an air purifier for cold and flu are given below.

• Choose a true HEPA filter: Select a true HEPA filter that captures fine airborne particles, such as virus carrying droplets, with high filtration efficiency during respiratory illness and indoor exposure.
• Check room coverage: Match the purifier’s rated room coverage to the room’s square footage, since an undersized unit does not clean indoor air quickly enough during continuous operation.
• Compare CADR: Compare the clean air delivery rate (CADR) across models, since higher CADR filters more air and supports faster airborne particle removal throughout the room.
• Consider airflow rate: Check the airflow rate at different fan speeds, since stronger airflow moves more room air through filters and captures airborne particles faster during continuous operation.
• Check filter replacement needs: Review filter replacement intervals before purchasing, since frequent replacements affect the purifier’s operating life, maintenance needs and overall ownership cost over time.
• Consider noise level: Check noise ratings at higher fan speeds, especially for bedrooms, since excessive noise discourages continuous operation during sleep and respiratory illness throughout the night.
• Check energy consumption: Compare power consumption between models, since continuous operation throughout cold and flu season directly affects household operating costs and monthly electricity use over time.
• Avoid ozone generating purifiers: Avoid ionizing or ozone generating models, since ozone irritates the respiratory tract and worsens breathing problems during respiratory infections and prolonged indoor exposure.

What are the best air purifiers for cold and flu season?

The best air purifiers for cold and flu season include Coway Airmega Mighty2, Winix 5530, Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max, Levoit Vital 200S, Levoit Core 300 and Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty. These models use features such as True HEPA filtration, multi-stage filtration, activated carbon filtration, room coverage and smart controls for respiratory particle removal. 

8 best air purifiers for cold and flu season are outlined below.

1. Coway Airmega Mighty2: Coway Airmega Mighty2 uses a multi-stage filtration system with a True HEPA filter and covers rooms up to 1,800 square feet in an hour for effective filtration.
2. Winix 5530: Winix 5530 combines a True HEPA filter, activated carbon filtration and smart controls to provide continuous air cleaning across rooms up to 392 square feet during illness.
3. Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max: Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max uses HEPASilent technology to capture 99.97% of airborne particles across rooms up to 1,524 square feet with efficient filtration.
4. Levoit Vital 200S: Levoit Vital 200S provides a multi-stage filtration system with smart controls and cleans a room roughly twice per hour for continuous filtration during cold and flu season.
5. Levoit Core 300: Levoit Core 300 is a compact True HEPA purifier designed for smaller rooms up to about 219 square feet, which makes it suitable for individual bedrooms.
6. Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty: Coway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty pairs a True HEPA filter with activated carbon filtration and covers rooms up to roughly 361 square feet for consistent indoor air cleaning.
7. Mila Air 3: Mila Air 3 features interchangeable purpose built filters and smart controls that track real time air quality across rooms up to approximately 595 square feet during continuous operation.
8. Coway Airmega 400: Coway Airmega 400 delivers a multi-stage filtration system that reduces 99.999% of fine particles across large rooms up to 1,560 square feet during continuous operation

Which type of air purifier is best for colds and flu?

The type of air purifier that is best for colds and flu is a HEPA purifier because it captures fine airborne particles down to 0.3 microns, such as respiratory aerosols. It also removes these particles efficiently from indoor air, while a high CADR clears filtered air through the room faster. These features make True HEPA filtration suitable for reducing airborne particles associated with respiratory infections.

Can air purifiers neutralize airborne viruses?

No, air purifiers can not neutralize airborne viruses on their own. Air purifiers capture particles rather than destroy them, while true HEPA filters physically trap virus containing aerosols on their fibers as air passes through. Air purifiers with added UV-C light or similar disinfection technology deactivate trapped viruses. Air purifiers without disinfection technology leave captured viruses intact inside the filter.

Can an air purifier reduce the risk of getting sick?

Yes, an air purifier can reduce the risk of getting sick because air purifiers lower concentrations of airborne particles that contain infectious viruses or bacteria. This helps reduce airborne exposure over time. Air purifiers work best when room size, filter performance, ventilation and other infection control measures are considered together rather than relying on filtration alone.

Do air purifiers help with COVID 19?

Yes, air purifiers help with COVID 19 by removing virus containing airborne particles from indoor spaces. Air purifiers with a true HEPA filter capture at least 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns, including particles that carry SARS-CoV-2. Air purifiers also reduce aerosol concentrations as a supporting layer alongside ventilation and vaccination. 

Which is the best air filter for COVID-19?

A true HEPA filter is the best air filter for COVID-19 because it captures at least 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. True HEPA filters physically remove these airborne particles as air passes through the filter.

Where should I place an air purifier during flu season?

You should place an air purifier in the open, central position of the room where people spend the most time, typically the bedroom or living room. Position the unit centrally to draw air evenly from every direction instead of pulling air from one corner. Keep it away from walls, curtains and furniture that block the intake vents.

How long should I run an air purifier during cold and flu season?

You should run an air purifier 24 hours a day during cold and flu season to continuously filter airborne particles and maintain lower concentrations of infectious particles indoors. Air purifiers operate at higher fan speeds during increased household activity or illness to increase air cleaning and filtration.

Does an air purifier make a room cold?

No, an air purifier does not make a room cold because it only circulates existing indoor air through its fan and filter without refrigeration or cooling. Air purifiers keep the room’s actual temperature unchanged, although moving air creates a mild breeze that feels cooler against the skin.