Dr. Kimberly Prather: https://twitter.com/kprather88/status/1687588887521112064
Glass-of-water icons created by Freepik - Flaticon
We drink 2-3 L of water a day.
Water can contain pathogens.
We filter our water.
We breathe 11,000 L of air.
Air can contain
pathogens.
We do not filter our air.
Why not?
5
REASONS TO CARE
ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL’S
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
1
ILLNESS
Wang, C. C., Prather, K. A., Sznitman, J., Jimenez, J. L., Lakdawala, S. S., Tufekci, Z., & Marr, L. C. (2021). Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses. Science, 373(6558), eabd9149.
Many
respiratory viruses
are transmitted through the air
Wang, C. C., Prather, K. A., Sznitman, J., Jimenez, J. L., Lakdawala, S. S., Tufekci, Z., & Marr, L. C. (2021). Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses. Science, 373(6558), eabd9149.
Guo, Y., Dou, Z., Zhang, N., Liu, X., Su, B., Li, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Student close contact behavior and COVID-19 transmission in China's classrooms. PNAS nexus, 2(5), pgad142.
Long-range aerosols
are the dominant
form of transmission
Source: Data from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Analysis by APM Research Lab. Rates are based on deaths reported as of June 21, 2023.
�
Covid-19 Mortality Rates (age-adjusted)
2
EQUITY
Persons with disabilities are at greater risk of developing more severe health conditions and dying from COVID-19.
https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/2020/05/sg_policy_brief_on_persons_with_disabilities_final.pdf
3
LONG COVID
https://www.edweek.org/leadership/1-in-5-educators-say-theyve-experienced-long-covid/2022/04
have experienced
Long Covid.
1 in 5 teachers
experience long covid symptoms at least
3 months post covid
Jiang, L., Li, X., Nie, J., Tang, K., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2023). A Systematic Review of Persistent Clinical Features After SARS-CoV-2 in the Pediatric Population. Pediatrics, 152(2).
1 in 6 kids
4
ABSENT
STUDENTS
Source: DataQuest. Data for 2022-2023 school year is as of January. 2019-2020 data is invalid according to Ca Dept of Ed.
’16-’17
’17-’18
’18-’19
’20-’21
’21-’22
’22-’23
virtual
Chronic absenteeism rates at San Diego Unified
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
5
COMMUNITY
of household spread of Covid-19 started with a child, according to study of 850,000 US households.
*Rates dropped during school breaks.
**Younger kids under 8 more likely source of transmission than kids 9-17.
Tseng, Y. J., Olson, K. L., Bloch, D., & Mandl, K. D. (2023). Smart Thermometer–Based Participatory Surveillance to Discern the Role of Children in Household Viral Transmission During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Network Open, 6(6), e2316190-e2316190.
70%
1
ILLNESS
2
EQUITY
3
LONG COVID
4
ABSENT STUDENTS
5
COMMUNITY
ACH
AIR CHANGES PER HOUR
The number of times that the total air volume in a room or space is completely removed and replaced in an hour.
Imagine if you froze the air in a room into a cube…
�And then swiped left on that stale air
�Then brought in one room’s worth of new air…
�That’s one air change!
�
Image shared by @iaqadvocates
CDC rec 5 ACH
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/improving-ventilation-in-buildings.html#:~:text=Improving%20ventilation%2C%20filtration%2C%20and%20air,viral%20particles%20in%20the%20air.&text=Aim%20to%20deliver%205%20or,viral%20particles%20in%20the%20air.
CDC recommends 5 ACH
B) 3.6 ACH
C) 6.6 ACH
D) 9.9 ACH
How many Air Changes per Hour (ACH)
are we getting at my kids’ school?
WINDOWS AND DOOR SHUT
1.17 ACH ☹
B) 3.6 ACH
C) 6.6 ACH
D) 9.6 ACH
How many Air Changes per Hour (ACH) can we get with windows/doors open?
WINDOWS AND DOOR OPEN
6.6 ACH ☺
IF WE CAN GET HVAC ON
1.17 ACH -> 3.6 ACH
Typical day in my child’s classroom
Typical week in my child’s classroom
Talent Show in the theater at my kids’ school
Talent Show in the theater at my nephew’s school
“Open House” at my kids’ school
Each Corsi-Rosenthal Box (on low) adds an additional 3 ACH*
*based on data for our classrooms,
if used properly:
B) 3.6 ACH
C) 6.6 ACH
D) 9.6 ACH
How many Air Changes per Hour (ACH)
do you want?
Download this graphic from Joey Fox HERE.