Stats on the up

MaizieD

there is some criticism of Wales for going ahead with the ozone based air cleaner. It has to be used in an empty room because ozone is toxic. Which seems to me to be a bit pointless because ideally you want the air to be cleaned while the children are in the room breathing in and out covid aerosols.

Units with HEPA filters which can be used when the room is occupied seem more practical.

CO2 monitors are fine up to a point but what is the school supposed to do if it shows a too high concentration? Whip all the children out until it goes down?

I hadn't heard about this!

The DGC are due back at school next week, I hope they're not going to use this.
Open the windows instead.

Yes, it discusses the issue with ozone technology in the article MaizieD. The truth is though that there isn’t any easy solution to this, the need is ahead of the capacity/technology at the moment. In the short term vaccinating 12-15 year olds will have more impact.

there is some criticism of Wales for going ahead with the ozone based air cleaner. It has to be used in an empty room because ozone is toxic. Which seems to me to be a bit pointless because ideally you want the air to be cleaned while the children are in the room breathing in and out covid aerosols.

Units with HEPA filters which can be used when the room is occupied seem more practical.

CO2 monitors are fine up to a point but what is the school supposed to do if it shows a too high concentration? Whip all the children out until it goes down?

According to Gov.uk all state schools will have CO2 monitors in the classrooms from September There is a trial in Bradford to install air purifying units of different types into 20 schools against a control of 10 schools with no units They obviously have to see if this works as it doesn’t come cheap
I can understand the reticence in vaccinations for 12 to 16 year olds if they have no underlying medical conditions

growstuff

I wonder how many state schools have had their ventilation improved over the holidays.

Stand back for all the propaganda about how teenagers aren't affected by Covid.

My daughter made arrangements over the summer for improved ventilation for all the state schools she cares for. She knew this was coming and ordered equipment early!

This was announced for Wales yesterday
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/clean-air-technology-covid-schools-21439360
Making the commitment to do this is good, but it looks like a complicated operation to actually get it operational in every school.

The government have had 18 months to do something about ventilation in schools and all we still have seems to be opening windows. If, in fact, there are windows that open.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what will happen. Sadly, the incidence rates are higher now than they were last September, schools have been told not to keep children in bubbles and not to report cases, unless there at least five positive cases, so there will be a cover up. There are rumours that the NHS is preparing to vaccinate over 12 year olds, but there is still no official announcement.

Ah well! I'm sure they'll all learn to live with it! (Well, most of them will live - sod the ones who end up with long Covid or transmitting it to family members).

growstuff

Yes, MawBe, school staff have been going on about it for ages, but absolutely nothing has been done.

They'll just sit in coats again in class

Yes, MawBe, school staff have been going on about it for ages, but absolutely nothing has been done.

MaizieD

Covid is rarely transmitted via contaminated surfaces. It's airborne by means of aerosols, which linger in the air. It's the air that you need to worry about. If you're closely surrounded by lots of people and there is no breeze it's quite risky, even in the open air.

All this cleaning is performative (though no doubt keeping other bugs at bay)

www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_deeplink_PID100053419&utm_content=deeplink

There was some interesting stuff on this on Radio 4 yesterday and the importance of good ventilation , indoors , in schools, offices and the likes s of church halls, through draughts and “changing “ the air by vacating the space and giving a bit of a blow through made good sense.

I wonder how many state schools have had their ventilation improved over the holidays.

Stand back for all the propaganda about how teenagers aren't affected by Covid.

Good article Maizie.

Covid is rarely transmitted via contaminated surfaces. It's airborne by means of aerosols, which linger in the air. It's the air that you need to worry about. If you're closely surrounded by lots of people and there is no breeze it's quite risky, even in the open air.

All this cleaning is performative (though no doubt keeping other bugs at bay)

www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_deeplink_PID100053419&utm_content=deeplink

How soap kills Covid-19:

en.unesco.org/news/how-soap-kills-covid-19-hands

FarNorth

Would they not at least wipe it off, tho, Sue?

No, not necessarily. Anti-bac wipes are a waste of time and money against a virus. You'd be better with a small bottle of washing up liquid (or any soap), which would break down the virus cell, or 70% alcohol.

Would they not at least wipe it off, tho, Sue?

thank you sue
i will take a look
the wipes i have for hands have alcohol and other chemicals in which no doubt kill the virus
fine for the tables but i didnt want to use them where the kids are licking the cans
i might enter the bought drinks into their water bottles if they will let me

Those wipes wouldn’t kill Coronavirus, Lillie. They’re antibacterial wipes but Covid is caused by a virus.

Working in other people’s homes is an obvious risk. It’s not surprising that these people contracted Covid. They were in an enclosed space breathing in whatever was in the atmosphere in the house. I only go into the homes of my family and my mother’s care home, and I acknowledge that this has a small risk. Especially the care home, but what can I do? I can’t not visit her, but the home do take all reasonable precautions. Otherwise my two sons and their families are pretty careful and are fully vaccinated, except for our grandson. I don’t go into the homes of anyone else at the moment. We would consider meeting family in the garden as being overly cautious, but I know some people still meet their adult children in the garden. If that’s what they want to do, that’s fine, but we don’t consider it necessary.

Just spoken to the third person in a week that is suffering from long covid. All of them have been tradespeople that have had to continue working in other peoples homes throughout the pandemic and, being self employed, are having to continue working now albeit having to deal with the fatigue etc. I feel so sorry for everyone suffering from it.

i was out with the grandkids at the weekend and wiped down the drinks cans and carton juices we bought from stalls
i think the risk is low but those kind of things will have been handled or breathed on by many and then make contact with the face
and i wiped down the picnic tables and benches

i wouldnt do all this at home or at a friends
thats what i mean about living with it when i need to

Juicywords

*Jane Judge* Your posts always make me giggle. I loved the one about birds which you posted on the “pets” site recently.

I'm glad I make someone smile

Has advice changed in general with respect to wiping things that come in the house if you are immune supressed in any way?

Years ago people who had, had cancer, HIV or a transplant (or who were chronically ill in general) were told to wipe things down when they were brought in the house. Same with sterilising of certain things, like cups etc.

I just wondered if it was still advised as my knowledge is out of date.

i am simple but not 'shallow'
i want to venture outside my comfort zone which can involve taking risks at the best of times
so my resilience comes from re evaluating as i go and moving on gradually from lockdown behaviour
i dont want to stagnate in terms of lifes experiences