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Research into ventilation in primary and secondary schools inthe UKCOVID-19: Timefora fresh airapproach#freshairapproach #cleantheairweshareread whitepaper visit site

An expert view: Professor Paul Linden, University ofCambridge. Professor Paul Linden, is an expert on the role of ventilation in the airborne transmission of COVID-19, andis based attheUniversity of Cambridge. We know COVID is spreading in schools and we know poor ventilation increases the risk of infection. In addition to close contact, COVID is spread through airborne particles that are carried around by air currents in a roomand they can be ltered from theairandremovedbyintroducingmore fresh air. We have to accept that opening windows, while important, is only a rst step. Opening windows will ventilate rooms but can also make everyone cold, or signicantly increase energy costs, and may bring in trac noise and pollution. We also need to ask ourselves; how much responsibility is it fair that weput on teachers? How much do we open windows and for how long? Every classroom is dierent, andventilation is complicated – we can’t expect teacherstobeventilationexperts.The best answer has to be a combination of solutionsthat suits each individual classroom becauseevery school and classroom is dierent. Thereistechnologyavailableto support schoolsandteachers. For example, measurements of carbon dioxide, agas that we exhale, are eective in indicating the levels of ventilation and any airborne infection risks. Tocomplement this, air ltration systems can work in combination with aplan to periodically open windows, forinstance to ventilate at break times. Acombination of solutions is needed tominimise theriskofCOVIDspreading inindoor environments. We need to do more to keep our schoolsopen and our children andteachers safeand well.

zphsphs school air qualityExecutive summary03The COVID-19 classroom challenge04Windows: An open and shut case05The winter chill factor08A call for better measures10Parental perspective13The phs solution: Air cleaning17

This report delves into the latest air quality research by phs Group and looks at the challenges schools across the UK face to keep the air in their classrooms clean and healthy, to protect teachers and children from the ill eects of COVID-19 andpreventfurtherspreadofthe disease.It shines a light on the perceived impracticality and ineectiveness of the Government’s Open Window Guidance to tackle air quality through ventilation, amongboth education sta and parents, andcalls for better measures to make classrooms safe, reducecoronaviruscontagion, andcombatdisruptedlearning.Executive summary4

*Based on research conducted in November 2021 of 500 administrators, head teachers, teachers, teaching assistants, deputy head teachers and other school sta plus 1,000 parents of children under 16 at primary and secondary schools in the UK.The COVID-19 classroom challengeBefore COVID-19, teachers and parents could breathe easy knowing that the predictable onslaught of winter bugs doing the rounds in school would eventually pass with only eeting harm to health and normality resume oncemore.However, the pandemic has highlighted – like – no other virus before it in living memory that the air quality in schools is crucial, not only to protect the personal health and wellbeing of both children and sta, but to avoid relentless disruption to learning and prevent further spread ofillness both inside andbeyond classroom walls.The greatest risk of COVID-19 transmission occurs in indoor environments, particularly in places where ventilation is poor. A hotbed of germs at the best of times, schools need ecient air systems to reduce airborne viruses. But the critical question is how this is achieved, especially during the cold winter months when opening a window for prolonged periods of ventilation bringsits own set of challenges.This latest air quality research by phs, taking in the views of education sta and parents of children at primary and secondary schools across the UK*, worryingly reveals that more teachers are seemingly o work now than ever before. Furthermore, it shows that the Government’s ‘open window’ guidance on ventilation is unclear, impractical andfailing.We need to clear the air; the UK’s schools urgently need better air purication systems to keep classrooms clean, healthy and safe, to tackle the disrupted learning caused by teacher and pupil absences, and to avoid the daunting possibility of a return to morerestrictiveCOVID-19 measures.5

10%31%5%27%sta say they rarely implement the guidance which came to eect in 2020often aired the classroom35% 65%say they fully understand the Government’s open window guidanceonly understand the ocial advice to an extenthad never opened a windowopened their doors for the start of the new academic yearOne in 10 sta (10%) admit rarely implementing the guidance, which came into eect in 2020, while 5% had never opened a school window and a quarter (24%) only did it sometimes.Our research reveals that:More than half (52%) of education sta in primary and secondary schools in the UK feel that more teachers are o work now than ever before with absences caused by a combination of factors, such as COVID-19 infection, winter viruses, and the stress and exhaustion covering forsickcolleagues.While just over a third (35%) say they fully understand the Government’s open window guidance – which highlights the importance of simple ventilation techniques to reduce the risks of catching coronavirus – two-thirds of sta (65%) either only understand the ocial advice to an extent, do not comprehend it at all, orare unfamiliar with itUnder a third (31%) often aired a classroom, but only just overaquarter (less than 27%) always did.52%of education sta areowork now thaneverbeforeWindows: An open and shut case6

37% 46% 53% 51%Wales77%East of England63%Yorkshire & Humber61%Greater London52%East Midlands46%West Midlands40%44% 55%Regional split (more teachers o):North EastNorth WestNorthern IrelandScotland South EastSouth WestKey guresThinking of stang levels at your school, do you feelthere are more or less teachers o work now than ever before?More teachers oNo changeLess teachers oDon’t know5252%1010%3737%11%7

AlwaysOftenRarelyNeverDuring warmer months only27%31%24%10%6%1%1%SometimesN/A – Don’t have windows in my classroomHow often, if at all, do you implement the Open Window Guidance since it came into force in 2020?Consider the Government’s Open Window Guidance. Which of these statements applies toyou?I fully understand itI understand it to an extentI don’t understand itI’ve heard of it, but I am not very familiar with it35% 44% 17% 4%Key gures8

When asked about following the advice during the colder months, only 5% of sta had opened a window more than ve times on average since the clocks went back in October – the highest proportion (33%) said they had ventilated an area on about three occasions.But just 1 in 10 respondents feel that the government’s guidance is a ‘good idea’, with more than a quarter (29%) saying children are unable to concentrate in class because itistoocold.A similar number (26%) feel that following the guidance would make it impossible toteach eectively over the course of the winter, while24% of sta believe it causes more viruses due to students and teachers’ immune systemsbeing compromised by chilly classrooms. Almost1 in 5 (21%) say it is likely to cause further absenteeism and isalsoimpractical.And, worryingly, more than a quarter (27%) ofschool sta polled report that they are unable to open the windows in their classroom even if they want to, with half (50%) revealing there are between 5-10 windows in their schoolthatcannotbe opened.The winter chill factorThinking about the colder months and the clock going back, how many times, onaverage, have you implemented the open window guidance?0 1 2 3 4 5+Mean (in a number oftimes)3% 13% 27% 33% 19% 5% 2.67%Key gures9

Key guresHow do you feel about the Government`s openwindow / ventilationguidance?It causes lack of concentration in children because they’re too coldFollowing the guidance will make it impossible to teach eectively through winterIt causes more viruses due to students and teachers being coldIt’s likely it causes further absenteeismIn reality, it’s impractical29%26%26%24%22%21%11%It causes more problems than it solvesIt’s a good ideaAre you able to open windows in your classroom?How many rooms at your school have windows that cannot be opened?73%Yes27%NoNone 1-4 5-10 Over 10 Don’t knowMean (number of windows)7% 39% 50% 1% 3% 5%10

When asked if they were concerned about being put at risk of COVID-19 infection or reinfection, almost half of sta (48%) feel somewhat worried while 1 in 5 (21%) are very worried.48%sta feel somewhat worried about the COVID-19 infection21%sta feel very worriedabout the COVID-19 infectionA quarter (25%) believe controlling COVID-19 in classrooms from December to March will be ‘not very manageable’ or‘not manageable at all’, and most (58%) think there will be a return to previous, more restrictive COVID-19 measures if better ventilation systems are not putinplace.Overwhelmingly, 7 in 10 of those questioned (almost 72%) are either strongly or somewhat disappointed in both central and local government for failing to nd a better solution for air purication.A similar proportion (70%) strongly or somewhat agree that schools need to do more regarding better ventilation while 72% are very worried or somewhat worriedthat a lack of ventilation in winter could lead to more sta and pupil illness.The vast majority (almost 79%) want the Government to install air puriers and better ventilation systems to tackle COVID-19 and other illnesses.A call for better measures72%are disappointed in the local government for failing to provide a better air purication solution72%are worried that a lack ofventilation in winter would lead to more ill staand pupils70%strongly feel that schools need to do more regarding better ventilation79%want the Government to install air puriers and better ventilation systemsbelieve controlling COVID-19 in classrooms will not bevery manageable58%think if ventilation systems are not put into place, COVID-19 measures will return toprevious25%11

How worried are you, if at all, about being put at risk of COVID-19 infection/reinfection?58%Yes28%No14%MaybeThinking of the winter months, howmanageable, if at all, do you think regulating COVID-19 in classrooms will be if better ventilation measuresaren’timplemented?Do you think there will need to be a return to former COVID-19 measures if better ventilation systems aren’t putinplace?Key guresVery worriedSomewhat worriedNot very worriedNot at all worried21%Neither worried nor not worried / indierent48%24%5%2%Very manageable33%Somewhat manageable42%Not very manageable19%Not at all manageable6%12

Education sta are reporting that there is an unprecedented level of teacher absence at a time when schools are only beginning to make up for missed caused by lockdown closures throughout thepandemic.Continuity of education is crucial to pupils’ school progress and academic achievement, and if record levels of teachers are not well enough to be in their classes – aside from the poor health and wellbeing of sta themselves being of concern – there is the signicant detrimental impact on children’s day-to-day learning to consider, particularly when absencescannot be covered adequately.It is felt by many that the Government’s open window guidance is neither clear enough nor practical to implement during the winter, and compromises both children’s ability to concentrate on lessons and the immune systems of both teachers and pupils.And that’s in the classrooms where windows open; asignicant proportion of school sta report not being able to ventilate areas even if they are minded to which presents a serious health safety concern.Sta are worried about their own health and that oftheir pupils due to the ever-present risk of catching COVID-19, and fear having to reintroduce tougher measures to control the virus if better, more ecient measures are not introduced.A signicant majority are disappointed that the Government and local authorities have not found abetter air purication solution and want action now.Summary13

This survey by phs also covered the concerns of parents and reveals that:31% As many as a third of parents (31%) had chosen not to make their child do a PCR test on at least one or two occasions even though they had cause to, mainly because they did not believe the symptoms warranted it (30%) or, similarly, because their child hatesbeing tested. One in 5 parents (22%) wanted to avoidthe disruption of school absence in the event ofapositive result.24%When asked if they would move their child to a dierent school if they knew it had better ventilationsystems in place, such as air puriers, almostaquarter ofparents (24%) would switch.24%Fewer than 1 in 4 fully understand the Government’s ventilation guidance (24%) whilealmost two thirds (62%) have never checked whether their child’s school follows the ocial ventilationrecommendations.21%Parents surveyed were split about whether the guidance would work over the course of the winter, with 21% favouring its suspension on the coldest days, while a similar proportion say the advice shouldadhered to regardless.70%The vast majority of respondents (nearly 70%) said they had recently given more consideration to the air their children are breathing in whilelearning and that schools should be given ways to make air cleaner.Parental perspective14

How many times, if any, have you not had your child PCR tested eventhough there might have been cause for you to?If one or more times, whydidyoudo this?Key gures0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10Prefer not to say44% 31% 14% 5% 1% 2% 2%I didn’t think the symptoms were quite bad enoughMy child/children) hate being testedI didn’t want to risk my child having to isolate for 10 daysNo reason in particularI couldn’t take time o work to look after them if they were positive30%30%22%16%14%13%8%6%I didn’t want to risk the disruption of having them o schoolOtherI didn’t have time24%Yes56%No20%Don’t knowWould you move your child to a dierent school if you knew there were better ventilation systems, forexample, air puriers, inanotherschool?15

Key guresWhat do you know of the Governments open window guidance in schools?How do you feel the open window guidance would work in the winter months?I understand it to anextentI‘ve heard some-thing but I am not very familiar with itI fully understand the guidanceI have never heardof itI don’t understand it28% 26% 24% 16% 6%38%Yes62%NoHave you ever checked with your child’s school if they follow the open window guidance?It should be suspended on the coldest daysIt is important to follow the guidance even if the children and teachers are coldDon’t think the open window guidance would work in the winter monthsChildren wouldn’t be able to learn in the coldOther21%21%21%19%16%1%It is impracticalHave you ever given any thought to the air your child breathes in theclassroom?Yes – I hadn’t before but more recently it is something I have consideredYes – Schools should be provided with ways of making classroom air cleanerYes – otherNo – Never29%41%1%32%16

As with education sta, there is confusion among parents about the Government’s open window guidance and reservations about it being implemented on cold days due to the adverse eects on theirchildren in class.Moreover, a signicant number of families are also ignoring Government legislation to make their children take a PCR test when they show possible COVID-19 symptoms because they do not want tofollow through with isolating them for 10 days.As many as a quarter would consider taking the drastic action of moving their child to a school withbetter air ventilation systems, which demonstrates the importance parents place on their children breathing in healthy air. Clearly,it’stime for afreshapproach.Summary17

The phs solution air cleaningAt phs, we have been steadfast in our commitment to nding the most optimum ways of creating a cleaner andsafer environment in schools and anywhere indoors.Recent independent laboratory research has provided the strongest evidence yet that our range of AERAMAX®PROFESSIONAL AM3 and AM4 air puriers and BIOZONE and MINI POWERZONE air care units havebeen proven tobeeective against COVID-19.phs’ Fellowes AERAMAX® PROFESSIONAL 3 & 4 has been proven to be eective in eliminating aerosolised concentration of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by 99.9999% through a single air pass test of the purier. Whilst our BIOZONE and MINI POWERZONE units, are proven for eectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 by an independent third-party lab when tested against the approved surrogate Human Coronavirus (OC43). The results found that the UV light technology which treats airborne contaminants passing through the units, which possibly contain COVID-19 material, saw a 99.1% inactivation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19, in as little as 0.25 seconds of exposure. Furthermore, a similar test on the eectiveness of the Photo Plasma technology adopted by BIOZONE, saw a 99.3% reduction of the surrogate Human Coronavirus (OC43) on surfaces inunder30 minutes.While hygiene measures, such as extra hand washing and mask wearing, have been introduced in schools to date over the course of the pandemic, nothing has been done to truly tackle the threat of smaller, infected airborne droplets and particles. Known as aerosols, theseenter theair simply by being breathed out and are not containedbymasks.Growing evidence indicates infected aerosols can linger in the air for up to hours at a time and provide a viable route for COVID-19 transmission. There is even a risk that, depending on the ventilation system, these aerosols may be spread around a school exposing more people tocoronavirus and increasing the risk of sta and children being infected.AERAMAX® PROFESSIONAL air puriers are also proven to be eective against a range of infectious diseases, germs and viruses that spread easily in schools, including colds, u, norovirus, chickenpox, measles and mumps, aswell as TB, SARS and whooping cough.Whilst our BIOZONE and MINI POWERZONE units are also proven to destroy viruses including Human Flu and H5N1 Avian Flu (Bird Flu) as well as surface bacteria suchasE. coli, Salmonella and Streptococcus.Notably, in AERAMAX trials in nursery settings, air quality was found to be as much as seven times cleaner with anecdotal reports of a reduction in illness and sick days. Furthermore, they reduce allergens such as dust, pollen and VOCs as well as odours, and tackle the rising problemof indoor air pollution.Used as part of a package of hygiene measures including hand washing, sanitisation and cleaning, air puriers create a safer, cleaner environment for schools and future-proof against day-to-day illnesses and the risk offuture outbreaks.An almighty challenge requires an all-encompassing solution – not just for winter, but all-year round. One that is ready for rollout across all schools nationwide today to protect the health of both sta and the children in their care. It’s time to stop relying on opening windows and start opening new doors to proven air quality systems backed up by scientic research.18