HEPA filter technology in airplane makes the flight safe from all diseases. (Image via TripSavvy)

Indonesian evacuation plane to Wuhan uses HEPA

The Indonesian government finally agreed to evacuate its nationals from Wuhan, Hubei Province, Central China. With the plane bringing 42 volunteers (from Foreign Affairs Ministry, Health Ministry, Armed Forces, and cabin crews) on Saturday, the plane picked up 240 adults and three children back to Batam, before being transferred to Natuna for a two-week quarantine.

Indonesian airline, Batik Air, played a major part in the evacuation mission. The Airbus A330-300 aircraft used to evacuate the Indonesian nationals was installed with High-Efficiency Particle Filters (HEPA) Cabin Air Filter.

The sophisticated HEPA technology filters air particulates within the cabin and disposes them outside the plane. While extracting the poor air particulate from the plane, the HEPA air pump will instill air into the cabin with 99 percent of bacteria sterility.

While being invisible, HEPA does the filtering process at a lightning speed, about 15 – 30 times per hour, or twice per minute.

Hence, no matter what virus, it will be terminated instantly.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) stated that HEPA is effective to filter more than 99 percent microbes in air particulates. While other transportation and building use air filters with hospital standards, HEPA does more than that.

Nonetheless, disinfection is still required to prevent worst-case scenarios. The aircraft will be desterilized for at least two weeks before going operational.

Source: https://bit.ly/3b3AFPv