Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases constantly occur and appear, severely threaten the health of human beings, respiratory infectious diseases (RIDs) such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and influenza are mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets and contact, and there is also the possibility of aerosol transmission. Air disinfection is very important to prevent and control the transmission of RIDs, especially during the outbreak of RIDs. This paper elaborates the necessity of air disinfection during prevention and control of RIDs as well as commonly used disinfection methods and their efficacy, so as to provide reference for medical institutions to prevent the transmission of RIDs due to improper air disinfection.