Thread by @HuffmanLabDU

"6 Questions To Ask Your Colorado School About COVID And The Air In Your Child’s Classroom"

Great, well-researched & hyperlinked article in @CPRNews by @CPRBrundin

These are not rhetorical questions -- pls contact your #school district!
🧵 below (1/x)
cpr.org/2021/08/27/col…

2/ Also don't miss the link to answers from 25 #Colorado school district on their COVID response. Brilliant & critical public health info!

Using this info you can follow-up based on the questions @CPRBrundin provides!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
cpr.org/2021/08/27/col…

3/ #AskYourDistrict:
1. How is the air in your child’s classroom being filtered and ventilated?

- Improve to MERV 13 filters, minimum of 5 ACH air exchange, and open outdoor air dampers
- Don't forget the long-term benefits
- Way to go @ESDk12 for using federal $ on air upgrades

4/ #AskYourDistrict:
2. If your school doesn’t have high-quality air filters, has it purchased portable #HEPA filtration units for classrooms, music rooms, cafeterias, & gyms?

- Critical addition to schools immediately
- Cost-effective layer of prevention

https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1410998986064863235?s=20

5/ #AskYourDistrict:
3. If schools say they can’t supply classrooms with a portable air filter unit, are students willing to build one?

- #DIY #boxfanfilter can be a great add to school safety
- Follow @JimRosenthal4 @CorsIAQ @DavidElfstrom @Poppendieck
wired.com/story/could-a-…

6/ #AskYourDistrict:
4. Lunchtime is one of the riskiest times of the school day for COVID infection. Where and how is your child eating?
- #EatOutside
- If not, work extra hard on airborne safety when masks are off when eating:

https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1429481913153060867

https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1429482861057384449

7/ #AskYourDistrict:
5. Does your school require masks?

- They should!
- Make sure masks are high-quality & tight-fitting
- See links in article for kid mask tips & rec's (& follow @projectn95 @masknerd +)

https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1425886926754619395

https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1425552524749131780?s=20

8/ #AskYourDistrict:
6. How much of other children’s exhales is your child breathing in?

- Easily estimate freshness of indoor air w/ ~$150 #CO2 sensor
- Ask district to check & use
- Slip into your kids' backpack to surveil & tag #COVIDCO2

https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1335999092527308800

9/ @CPRBrundin did a great job digging in to get input from a range of experts. Trust her summary b/c you trust them 👇 . Share to your district & local educ journalists.

@HernandezLabCU, @DataDrivenMD, @kprather88 @linseymarr @CorsIAQ @JimRosenthal4, me
cpr.org/2021/08/27/col…

10/ For the same vein of info, see the recording of the #DeltaSchoolsAirborne event from last week with a wide spectrum of national experts in these areas (org'd by @kprather88).
Full 3-hrs:
Broken into bits by @joaquinlife ⬇️

https://twitter.com/joaquinlife/status/1430225637302669312?s=20

11/ A separate, recent plea for #Colorado (and national) #school districts to treat COVID spread seriously this Fall by mandating masks, installing #HEPA filters, and managing the added lunchtime risk by moving all eating outside when possible. ⬇️

https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1428388707141263360?s=20