Final answer:
The ventilation system in the decontamination area is required to be maintained at negative pressure to prevent contaminants from escaping into non-contaminated areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ventilation system in the decontamination area must be maintained at negative pressure. Negative pressure means the pressure within the decontamination area is lower than the atmospheric pressure outside it. This is important because it ensures that any contaminants or infectious agents do not escape into non-contaminated areas. The concept of negative pressure is critical in environments where sterility or containment is essential, such as in biological safety level (BSL) laboratories or medical facilities dealing with infectious diseases.
Positive pressure, on the other hand, is used in scenarios where clean, filtered air must be kept within a certain space, for example, in operating rooms or cleanrooms. For example, BSL-4 laboratories use protective suits that have their own air supply and maintain a positive pressure relative to the outside to prevent the ingress of contaminants.