Stormont ministers are urging the installation of air purification systems in schools in Northern Ireland as they try to stem the spread of Covid-19.
The call comes from Mark Ainsworth, a former consultant to Camfil, a Belfast-based manufacturer of air purification systems.
It is estimated that up to 100 million yen will be needed to introduce high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in about 20,000 classrooms.
HEPA is a common ingredient found in air purifiers that filter the air to purify it. They are used in vacuum cleaners and in industries that require high-quality air, such as the aerospace and pharmaceutical industry.
But Mr Ainsworth believes the true rate could be much lower and that the current situation of schools with windows open for mandatory ventilation cannot be sustained.
“What worries me is that kids are sitting in frozen rows in jackets and hats because it’s so cold,” he told Belfast Live.
“At the start of the pandemic, the entire thought process focused on keeping doors and windows open for ventilation.
But you wouldn’t expect someone in the office to do it, but that’s what we ask of our kids.
“I’ve been in the air purifier business for 25 years and in Northern Ireland all classes need a HEPA air purifier.”
Mr Ainsworth added: “Somewhere in the basement has to be purchased by government agencies and handed over to schools. In the future, we should not expect them to leave doors and windows open and say that the children will be fine.
“They are not good – they are freezing and it is not a good atmosphere for them. Children will drop out of school with colds and flu if the current agreement is extended and they will not be able to study under these conditions in the future.
Schools should lock doors and windows, turn on the heating and have air purifiers behind each classroom. HEPA filtration in these compartments can contain all the Covid viruses as well as other airborne viruses like colds and flu to keep kids in the regular classroom.
And our government is still talking about it before other countries buy these units manufactured in Sweden and Germany.
We’re talking about needing a few thousand, so the plan needs to be implemented. “I know exactly what the government has to do, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss it with them,” Ainsworth said. .
But in defiance of the assembly on Monday, Education Secretary Michelle McKelvin said there was limited evidence of the effectiveness of air purification systems when it came to distributing Covid-19 in schools.
The plenary session followed a summons proposal by Sinn Fein’s MLA Pat Sheehan, backed by SDLP and the Alliance party, to discuss staff shortages due to Covid-19, ventilation systems, emergency testing plans and contact monitoring.
On the issue of air purification systems, McIlvin said they are not “a panacea for ending the spread of Covid-19 in schools”.
Conservative estimates put it at around 40 million euros to install it in 20,000 classrooms. If the evidence supports such investments, I will not hesitate to provide these funds to the Executive Branch and the Minister of Finance. However, I will not move. “He is ahead in exams and spends state money recklessly,” he said.
Ms McIlvin said it has invested 2.2 million in the ventilation business this year, including replacing old and malfunctioning windows, carbon dioxide screens and the initial 100-unit air purifier.
Source: Belfastlive
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