Short 🧵on #covidco2 readings in an elementary classroom in #UpstateNY. The teacher used an #Aranet4 to measure CO2 throughout the day.
1st reading, before students arrived, with windows closed.
Reading 2., 25 mins after kids arrived. 19 students and two adults in this room for the day.
3. 40 minutes after students arrived.
4. 90 mins with students and we're over 1100 ppm co2. This is with an air purifier running and classroom door open to a hallway, but windows are still closed.
5. Approximately 2.5 hours with kids.
6. Students leave for recess, teacher opens a window + places a fan in it to exhaust classroom air outside.
Only real surprise here is how quickly co2 drops under those conditions.
The reading settles in at ~600 ppm once students return and the open window+fan stay in place.
Even poor classroom ventilation can be greatly improved quickly & easily, and at little cost. Yet every window is closed when I drive by local #UpstateNY schools. @HealthNYGov & @NYSEDNews should provide guidance on opening windows. It's sorely needed during this winter spike.
There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep my child safe, including, apparently, writing an op-ed advocating for state policy change. 1/ nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-ope…
Earlier this summer, I read @apoorva_nyc’s story about hundreds of scientists calling on the WHO to update its thinking on airborne transmission of #COVID19. Then I read @zeynep‘s great piece about ventilation. 2/
Yesterday’s story from @apoorva_nyc on what experts like Dr. @linseymarr call the “smoking gun” on aerosol transmission of #COVID19 is a clarion call to wear masks inside, no matter what distance we are able to keep. 3/