Wednesday 12 January 2022

HEPA filters can only help combat COVID-19 in classrooms, says expert

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-schools-hepa-filters-dominic-cardy-linsey-marr-covid-19-1.6312364

 

HEPA filters can only help combat COVID-19 in classrooms, says expert

Education minister has suggested adding high-efficiency particulate filters could make transmission worse

Linsey Marr, of Virginia Tech, says "there's no question" HEPA, or high-efficiency particulate, filters can improve air quality.

And she doesn't see how they could be harmful  — "unless people take apart the HEPA air cleaner and grab the filter and start, you know, rubbing it on their face."

Sixty schools in New Brunswick have no integrated mechanical ventilation systems, as of September. Unlike the 234 schools in the province that do have integrated ventilation systems, these schools must rely instead on opening doors and windows to circulate air.

While other provinces, such as Ontario, spent millions on HEPA filters for schools before classes started last fall, New Brunswick plans to hire an outside expert to review the "competing science" surrounding the issue and provide recommendations, Cardy has said.

HEPA-filtered air purifiers like this one, in a Toronto public school, can reduce the concentration of some viruses in the air by capturing small particles, such as the water droplets that can carry the coronavirus, says Marr. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Earlier this week, before students returned to virtual learning following the Christmas holidays instead of in-person classes because of an ongoing surge of COVID cases and hospitalizations, CBC News asked Cardy why HEPA filters weren't used in schools at the start of the pandemic.

"When I went and asked experts in my department and folks across government about HEPA filters, they said, actually it's not quite as clear cut as that. There's actually a lot of information that it might actually make things worse," he said.

"So no problem at all, admitting when we're off-base on something. But the last thing I want to do is add to the list of things that we're off-base on by starting off, by saying that this is definitely going to be a sure fix to a problem when we don't yet have that evidence."

Marr, who has been a leading voice on the airborne transmission of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, contends Cardy spoke to the "wrong experts, or they haven't caught up on the more recent information."

Earlier in the pandemic, there was much debate among virologists about how COVID-19 is spread. Many believed the primary mode of transmission was through large droplets.

But Marr says the highly transmissible Omicron variant has made it clear that COVID-19 is an airborne virus and we must act accordingly to stop it from spreading.

Sixty of New Brunswick's 294 schools do not have adequate ventilation systems, as of September. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada)

"We know from basic physics … if you have a filtration system in a smoky room, that's going to bring down the amount of smoke particles in the room," she said.

There have also been some in-hospital studies that are not yet peer-reviewed, which found less bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, in the air, when HEPA filters were turned on.

"So, you know, between basic physics and these empirical, observational studies, it's very clear that HEPA filters can reduce the amount of virus in the air," said Marr.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says the effectiveness of HEPA filters in reducing the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus "hasn't yet been demonstrated."

But HEPA filters can be used "as an additional protection in situations where enhancing natural or mechanical ventilation is not possible," it advises.

"When properly used, portable air filtration devices with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters have been shown to reduce the concentration of some viruses from the air."

On Dec. 24, the federal agency released guidance on choosing a portable air purifier.

It comes on the heels of a video offering COVID-19 guidance on ways people can improve ventilation and air filtration in their home.

"Ventilation is a key way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19," according to the description.

It replaces stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

"This helps to reduce the levels of infectious particles in the air," the video states.

People can open windows and doors to create a cross-breeze of fresh air.

They can also use air filters with their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system or portable air purifiers with a HEPA filter, it advises.

With files from Information Morning Fredericton

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 


39 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
 
 
 
David Amos   
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YO Lou Bell say Hey to Cardy for me will ya?
   

 
David Amos 
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Do ya think a HEPA filter would shield us from the smell of Cardy's BS?
 
 
 
David Amos 
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Somebody say Hey to Cardy for me will ya?
 
 
 
 
David Amos 
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Cardy Butter Tarts
 
 
 
 
David Amos
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Perhaps a HEPA filter would shield us from Cardy

 
 
 
 
 
David Amos
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Do ya think a HEPA filter would shield us from the smell of Cardy's BS? 
 
 
 
 
 
Jack Smith
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I lived up at the top of Forest Hills in Saint John years ago and I can remember the CO alarm going off a few times throughout the year.. I investigated about putting in HEPA filters in my home to keep the smell out and I was told by several different stores the HEPA filter would do no good against the SO..... I got the he!! out of there in a year.. Moral of the story A HEPA FILTER WILL NEVER STOP THE SARS COV 2 VIRUS.....
 
 
Clive Gibbons
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Reply to @Jack Smith: A Co molecule is orders of magnitude smaller than Covid virus. Same way a window screen doesn't stop cold air, but it does a great job with mosquitoes.
 
 
Graham McCormack
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Reply to @Jack Smith: And your educational background is what again? Checking with store owners?
 
 
David Amos
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Reply to @Graham McCormack: Good question
 
 
 
 
 
Allan J Whitney
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When they cancelled hockey and everybody yawned, i knew it was over. Maybe they can find an expert to explain how we are supposed to undergo the regular respiratory purge required by people who live where there is fall and winter. These players have been living close to an open fire since, well, they figured out how to do it, and with all the toxic smoke and wood and dirt particles and animal cooties and decomposing plant material and allergens from all that vegetation not to mention whatever industrial particles were launched into the air nearby, well, if they had not been somehow partnered up with "respiratory purge viri", players would have poison coated lungs until they died before reproducing. I guess this is old fashioned so, yeah, by all means hand the administration of your immune system over to the state. They seem to know what they are doing. Right?
 
 
David Amos
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Reply to @Allan J Whitney: Well put
 
 
 
 
 
 
Blair Churchill  
Help, perhaps, so would just staying out of the building. Bandaids tend to be short term effective and ventilation was likely an unimportant priority that children have been exposed to prior, its too late to show up now with a bucket of water to put out the fire.
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Blair Churchill: Yup
 
 
 
 
 
 
David Guitard
Cov 19 is not an air-borne virus. It is spread by droplets from an infected person.
 
 
Maxime Babineau
Reply to @David Guitard: You work where?
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @David Guitard: Yea Right
 
 
 
 
 
 
Murray Brown
Opinions are a dime a dozen… That’s why they are studying the situation. But the CBC always seems to think that their experts are somehow superior to everybody else’s .
 
 
Graham McCormack
Reply to @Murray Brown: They usually superior to Cardy.
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Graham McCormack: Most folks are
 
 
 
 
 
Jimmy Belafonte
Virginia Tech is my Bible for all things rona.
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Jimmy Belafonte: LOL
 
 
 
 
 
 
G. Timothy Walton
Am I the only one who heard Donald Trump's voice when reading the quote from Cardy?
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @G. Timothy Walton: Perhaps
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bill Henry
Trust us Linsey, nobody listens to that Card.
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Bill Henry: Higgy does
 
 
 
 
 
Jim Gootjes
NB says they don’t work because they would cost money.
 
 
Hank Fletcher
Reply to @Jim Gootjes:
And politicians don't work because they don't want to. Somehow your ten year old can figure out how to do online learning, but attending meetings remotely is impossible for an MLA.
 
 
David Amos  
Reply to @Hank Fletcher: Good point
 
 
 
 
 
doug kirby
Nb politicians think they are above science and doctors
 
 
David Amos  
Content deactivated 
Reply to @doug kirby: Don't tell Cardy that It would spoil Higgy's circus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mel Faulkner
Hepa filters will make air quality worse? Could make covid spread worse? I graduated 6th grade- how do I apply for consulting work with this government?? Could it be they prefer to knock possible effective options if they cost money and promote strategies that cost nothing??
 
 
David Amos  
Content deactivated 
Reply to @Mel Faulkner: Methinks you already know the answers N'esy Pas?
 
 
 
 
 
David Amos 
Surprise Surprise Surprise
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Buford Wilson
Once again, Dominic owes an apology to all New/Nouveau-Brunswickers.
His errors appear to be coming more frequently now.
 
 
David Amos  
Reply to @Buford Wilson: I love the circus  
 
 
Harvey York
Reply to @David Amos: and butter tarts. Especially the butter tarts, eh skippy?
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to @Harvey York: Yup
 
 
Harvey York
Content deactivated 
Reply to @Harvey York: Cardy and his butter tarts are a hit on the Internet EH Tinkerbell? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ray Bungay
A few years ago we made a decision to purchase a Heppa Filter air cleaner for our living room and in December 2019 we bought a second matching unit for the backend of our 3 bedroom unit, each costing $500.00 a piece. Now looking back this was one of the best investments we have done for our home of two. They work cleaning dust particles out of the along with most cooking odors from our air
 
 
Buford Wilson
(Good for you, Ray.)
 
 
David Amos  
Content deactivated
Reply to @Ray Bungay: Do ya think a HEPA filter would shield us from the smell of Cardy's BS? 
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: "Whenever one tries to suppress doubt, there is tyranny .”
— Simone Weil
 
 
 
David Amos
Content deactivated 
Allan J Whitney
Content deactivated
When they cancelled hockey and everybody yawned, i knew it was over. Maybe they can find an expert to explain how we are supposed to undergo the regular respiratory purge required by people who live where there is fall and winter. These players have been living close to an open fire since, well, they figured out how to do it, and with all the toxic smoke and wood and dirt particles and animal cooties and decomposing plant material and allergens from all that vegetation not to mention whatever industrial particles were launched into the air nearby, well, if they had not been somehow partnered up with "respiratory purge viri", players would have poison coated lungs until they died before reproducing. I guess this is old fashioned so, yeah, by all means hand the administration of your immune system over to the state. They seem to know what they are doing. Right?

David Amos
Content deactivated
Reply to @Allan J Whitney: Well put

 
 
David Amos
Content deactivated 
Jack Smith
Content deactivated
I lived up at the top of Forest Hills in Saint John years ago and I can remember the CO alarm going off a few times throughout the year.. I investigated about putting in HEPA filters in my home to keep the smell out and I was told by several different stores the HEPA filter would do no good against the SO..... I got the he!! out of there in a year.. Moral of the story A HEPA FILTER WILL NEVER STOP THE SARS COV 2 VIRUS.....

Clive Gibbons
Content deactivated
Reply to @Jack Smith: A Co molecule is orders of magnitude smaller than Covid virus. Same way a window screen doesn't stop cold air, but it does a great job with mosquitoes.

Graham McCormack
Content deactivated
Reply to @Jack Smith: And your educational background is what again? Checking with store owners?

David Amos
Content deactivated
Reply to @Graham McCormack: Good question 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

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