The Critical Importance of Good Ventilation To Keep Children And Adults Safe From Respiratory Illnesses.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently announced a $29.6 million program to provide more than 60,000 High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers to schools throughout Illinois. The program is designed to help reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, and is targeted at school districts serving lower-income communities and counties with high levels of air pollution. It is estimated that almost 3,000 schools in Illinois will be eligible for the program, covering 68% of school districts in the state.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will coordinate the program with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, with the CDC providing the funding. The program will generally offer one small air filter unit for every 20 students in a school, with a limited number of larger units for districts with more than 1,000 students.
Governor JB Pritzker believes the program is essential to ensuring that Illinois children can study in well-ventilated classrooms to thrive and succeed. The HEPA air purifiers will prevent illness and absenteeism and improve children’s ability to think and learn.
Studies have shown that cleaner air can reduce absentee rates and improve students’ abilities to think, learn, read, and solve math problems. According to research by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), schools with clean air record fewer sick students and improved academic performance.
The air quality we breathe impacts our health and well-being, particularly for children who spend considerable time in schools. Poor indoor air quality in schools has been linked to an increased risk of respiratory illnesses, such as asthma and allergies, and can also harm academic performance. However, recent data from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that schools with clean air records have fewer sick students and improved academic performance.
The EPA has collected data on indoor air quality in schools for several years. Their findings indicate a clear correlation between good indoor air quality and improved student health and academic performance. The EPA’s data is supported by a growing body of scientific literature, which provides further evidence for the benefits of clean air in schools.
The EPA has identified indoor air quality as a top environmental health concern. It estimates that Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, where pollutant levels can be two to five times higher than outdoors. Several studies have linked exposure to indoor air pollutants to various health problems, including respiratory illnesses, allergies, asthma, and cognitive impairment.
One of the EPA’s primary initiatives is to improve indoor air quality in schools. The agency has guided improving indoor air quality in schools and researched the benefits of clean air in schools.
According to the EPA, indoor air quality can affect students’ health, attendance, and academic performance. Poor indoor air quality can increase the number of sick days students and staff take, resulting in lower academic performance. The EPA notes a strong correlation between absenteeism rates and indoor air quality.
Studies have also found that students in schools with cleaner air have higher academic achievement scores. According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory research, students in classrooms with improved ventilation increase productivity and improve the performance of mental tasks, such as concentration and recall, in both adults and children. Similarly, a study published in the EPA Student Health And Academic Performance found that students in classrooms with higher ventilation rates had higher standardized test scores than those with lower ventilation rates.
Aircor Air Conditioning and Heating is a company that understands the importance of breathing clean air for overall health and well-being. With over 30 years of experience in the HVAC industry, they have been committed to providing quality services to their customers in the Chicago area.
Air pollution has become a significant concern in today's world, and it is not limited to school and office air. The air inside your house can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, which can cause health problems like asthma, allergies, and respiratory infections. Aircor Air Conditioning and Heating know this and aim to provide solutions to ensure their customers breathe clean air.
Aircor Air Conditioning and Heating offer a variety of air cleaners and purifiers that can remove airborne pollutants like dust, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens. They provide top-of-the-line air purifiers that capture even the smallest airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria. These air purifiers use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
The company's air cleaners and purifiers can also help remove unpleasant odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. Cleaning products, furniture, and other household items can release harmful chemicals and cause respiratory and other health issues.
By installing air cleaners and air purifiers and doing duct cleaning from Aircor Air Conditioning and Heating, customers can enjoy the comfort and peace of mind of breathing clean air. They can also benefit from reduced allergy and asthma symptoms, fewer respiratory infections, and improved overall health and well-being.
In conclusion, the data from the EPA and scientific literature demonstrate the benefits of clean air in schools. These studies give us a better idea of how important it is to keep our air clean in the places where we spend the most time indoors. Schools with good indoor air quality have fewer sick students and improved academic performance, highlighting the importance of addressing indoor air quality issues. By improving indoor air quality, schools can promote better health and educational outcomes for their students, creating a more conducive learning environment. If you are considering an air quality purifier, contact Aircor Air Conditioning and Heating to help select the right purification system for your home.