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1) Across Canada, some efforts are underway to improve ventilation in schools to prevent children and teens from contracting #COVID19. In Quebec, however, little is being done. In this thread, I will call upon the provincial government to do something fast.
2) I first urged authorities in Quebec to upgrade ventilation in schools in early August. On Sept.26, with most schools already open for a month, Education Minister Jean-François Roberge announced $20 million for the maintenance of existing ventilation, not upgrades.
3) That investment works out to less than $7,000 per school. Quebec, with one-tenth of Germany’s population, is investing 2.37% of what Germany is spending to upgrade the ventilation of its public buildings, including schools and universities.
4) In addition to investing 500 million Euros to boost ventilation, Germany's Environment Agency on Thursday unveiled a four-page manual for schools. “Our core recommendation is to air classrooms regularly every 20 minutes,” the agency said. https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-unveils-airing-plan-for-schools/a-55286311
5) Meanwhile, the West Vancouver school district announced on Thursday it has already installed mobile air scrubbers in every classroom in two schools that do not have modern heating and ventilation systems. Many Montreal schools lack modern ventilation. https://www.nsnews.com/news/air-scrubbers-installed-in-two-west-vancouver-elementary-classrooms-1.24229939
6) Two weeks ago, the Toronto District School Board announced it would install 500 new air purifiers in schools deemed to pose a higher risk of #COVID19 transmission. I’ve learned that at least one Montreal school board has no such plans for its schools. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/tdsb-danby-air-filters-1.5760832
7) On Sept. 30, nearly 30 prominent Quebec experts urged the government to build on its initial investment of $20 million for the maintenance of ventilation, recommending air purification in schools that don’t have systems. But nothing has been since. https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/402ddefd-c9ff-465e-947b-090c7bfd95c7__7C___0.html
8) The stark discrepancy between what other jurisdictions are doing and what Quebec isn’t comes as a top Montreal health official acknowledged Friday that “it’s in the school milieu that we’re observing the biggest increase” of #COVID19 cases and clusters. https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/school-outbreaks-hospitalizations-rise-as-montreal-stays-in-red-zone
9) Montreal reported 233 new #COVID19 cases Saturday, according to the chart below. At the neighborhood level, Dorval, Lachine and LaSalle (where transmission was relatively low for a while) posted the greatest number, 33, underscoring the unpredictability of the #coronavirus.
10) In conclusion, Montreal added two #COVID19 fatalities to a death toll that has now stands at 3,529. That’s higher than the death toll of all of Ontario (3,136). End of thread. Please stay safe everyone, maintain #PhysicalDistancing and wear masks in public and in schools.
