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Of course, not all allergy sufferers have daily problems all year round and far from all have severe symptoms. But about half of them do. And what about the children in every classroom who also have asthma or other respiratory diseases? We know that 10% of the population have daily challenges with these diseases and that this also applies to school children.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, respiratory diseases are in fact the most common cause of school absences. They report that asthma-related illnesses alone account for a staggering 14 million missed American school days each year.
The numbers are frightening and even if we were to include only children and young people with more severe challenges, it is likely that around one in five or six students feel that education is not fully accessible to them on an equal basis - unless we address the issue of poor air quality.
Air pollution in schools comes from various sources and air quality is affected from a 'building' perspective by both internal and external sources. In older schools, harmful particles can be generated by a number of problem areas within the building itself, from radon and asbestos to mold and dust.
Schools built in recent years sometimes face the challenge of overly tight buildings with clear deficiencies in natural ventilation. In addition, there can be a negative impact from synthetic building materials and furniture that generate harmful particles.
Ventilation itself is often a challenge from many perspectives, but is not a solution to the problem of particles. At best, new air is added. Usually only circulation is supplied and measured, not air quality - obviously, effective air purification must be solved by other means.
It is also important not to forget that around 80% of the particle content is generated by daily activities. Not least through human activity in the premises.
Often, the intake of external pollutants and particles from outdoor air, such as traffic exhaust, pollen and smoke, adds to the mix of pure bad indoor air in classrooms. Worryingly, studies show that unhealthy particle levels are commonly 2 to 5 times higher indoors than just outside the classroom window.
At the same time, the situation is far from hopeless. Modern technology offers practical and effective tools to combat indoor air pollution, and there are tailored solutions, backed by scientific evidence, to address the challenges of air quality in schools. It should be a matter of course to invest in solutions to reduce the problems in our classrooms and make every effort to bring all children on board when the train of knowledge leaves the platform.
We are facing a tough virus autumn and flu winter with an increased spread of infection in offices and classrooms. Lessons from the pandemic years should be drawn, including the possibility of adding technology as one of the layers of protection in the fight against viruses and influenza.
We are facing a tough virus autumn and flu winter with an increased spread of infection in offices and classrooms. Lessons from the pandemic years should be drawn, including the possibility of adding technology as one of the layers of protection in the fight against viruses and influenza.
The metal industry has always been extremely important to the Swedish economy, but often with processes that generate unhealthy particles. Read more about the challenges and five actions you can consider.
