Ventilation in Schools and Childcare Programs

Ventilation is a key component of maintaining healthy indoor environments even before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world. Although, children seem to have a better resistance to COVID than adults or people with immunocompromised diseases improvements are still important to create a safe and healthy environment indoors.

Good ventilation is another action that can reduce the number of virus particles in the air and the transmission of COVID. Ventilation with other preventive strategies is needed for schools, daycare centers and childcare programs can reduce the likelihood of spreading the disease.

Several ways to help protect staff and students alike include:
• Having your HVAC contractor check your system to ensure it is maximizing ventilation.
• Wear well-fitting, multi-layered mask.
• Filter the air using an air purification system.
• Have your maintenance staff for A/C company change and/or clean your air filters on a regular basis.
• Use exhaust fans in restrooms and kitchens.
• Open windows in transportation vehicles if safe to do so.
• Try to open windows if it is safe and helps bring in outside air.

While implementing ventilation strategies, be sure to continue to take regular precautions to keep young children safe, such as using fans with covers and windows with screens which can be opened to bring in outside air. Simply cracking open a window or door helps increase outdoor airflow, which helps reduce the potential concentration of virus particles in the air. Using many of these strategies would also be effective in most commercial settings so keep these strategies in mind.
Continue to follow other preventive actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Children should be separated by 6 feet as much as possible and children over 2 years old should wear masks whenever possible.