Thread by @LibDemPatrick

Soon I’ll have no money left for #corsirosenthalboxes! Requests are coming in thick and fast, and soon I’m going to have to start saying “no”…

⁉️Got me thinking though: why the surge in interest…?
A thread 🧵 1/
gofund.me/3691a0c0

On 24th November 2022 (time stamping for future ref), the Department for Education (@educationgovuk) wrote to all their mailing list members (Local Authorities and signed-up schools). They stressed the importance of ventilation to tackle Covid and flu in schools this winter👇 2/

In this email, the DfE confirmed they are reopening their programme for FREE air cleaning units - which they endorse for classrooms where good ventilation has proven difficult to achieve. I think this is driving a renewed interest in clean air in schools
👇 3/

Firstly, it’s bizarre having experienced opposition to air filters (being told “the science isn’t there”) to full-blown endorsement by the DfE.
Secondly, it concerns me that this message hasn’t gone to *every* school (don’t worry I’ve forwarded it to as many HTs as I know!)
4/

⚠️ Strict eligibility criteria:
📌 School needs to prove sustained CO2 reading of 1,500ppm over 7 days
📌 If school can fix ventilation issue by March they’re not eligible
📌 Classroom MUST be occupied by 5 or more people (so no air filters for specialist classrooms) 5/

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨Worth noting - the DfE is quite clear that air filters work against Covid, influenza, allergies, and asthma!
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇6/

Back to eligibility: if a school fails to qualify for a free Air Cleaning Unit, they can always use their own budgets to buy from the Government’s marketplace. The 2 ACUs the DfE have endorsed for schools are rather expensive though👇
7/

👀 Take a look at air filters no.3 and 4 on the chart below - they’re the ones endorsed by the DfE. Look at their Clean Air Delivery Rate compared with the #corsirosenthalbox/@SmartairUk products. The DfE-endorsed units don’t appear to be, well, very good…
8/

TL;DR
🇬🇧 Dept for Education has:
⭐️ clearly stated the importance of ventilation and air cleaning this winter
⭐️ endorsed air filters as a means of removing viruses from the air
⭐️ reopened its FREE air filters programme (w strict criteria)
9/

So whilst I’m running out of money to keep offering free air filters, schools can DIY without me! All you need is:

📌 Duck tape = hobbycraft.co.uk/green-duck-tap…

📌 Fan = ukelectricalsupplies.com/vent-axia-14-i…

📌 4 filters = amzn.eu/d/6mIaX5Y (⚠️ they come in a 2-pack: be sure to get 4!)
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Build instructions👇 11/11