As summer break approaches its expected close, the matter of whether or not students will return to their long-empty classrooms has been left in question.
Particularly as no two communities will have the same timeline for classroom reopenings, one of the few questions left to ask across the board is, “What can schools do to ensure the safety of their campus?”
Thus, we introduce you to the ABC’s of how schools are preparing to potentially reopen in the fall…
A: Adhering to Local Recommendations
As every state and community will experience the COVID-19 outbreak differently, many experts are assuring educational professionals that the best thing school personnel can do to ensure safety while in the classroom is to simply monitor and adhere to the recommendations of local authorities.
“Administrators should always reinforce healthy practices among their staff and students, as well as prepare for a potential case of COVID-19, regardless of the current level of community transmission,” according to guidelines presented by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). “As you create and update your preparedness plans, work with your local health officials to determine the most appropriate plan and actions for your school or program.”
In many states and school districts today, various guidelines and school start dates are already being established to accommodate their respective communities.
B: Back to Basics
Regardless of whether or not a school district reopens before or after Labor Day, one thing is for sure: The necessity of enforcing hygienic basics is undisputed.
For example, the U.S. Department of Education recommends integrating the following basic procedures to help maintain a happy and healthful educational environment:
- Teachers and students should stay home when sick.
- Teachers and students should avoid close contact with those who are known to be sick.
- Teachers and students should cover both their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. This can be accomplished with either a tissue or by placing one’s face in the crook of their arm.
- Teachers and students should wash their hands regularly with soap and water.
- Teachers and students should avoid touching their nose, eyes, or mouth.
C: Cleaning Around the Classroom
Finally, one of the best methods for mitigating COVID-19 spread amongst students and faculty is to regularly clean and disinfect the facilities themselves.
Minnesota, for example, is one state whose Department of Health published a comprehensive “COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfecting Guidance for Schools and Child Care Programs,” wherein they outline what surfaces should be cleaned, at what frequency they should be cleaned, and with what products the cleaning should be accomplished.
That being said, regular and diligent disinfecting procedures don’t always guarantee that a school is as clean as its inhabitants would like it to be, particularly where airborne particles are concerned — And that’s where the InstaScope comes in.
With students constantly cycling through classrooms and potentially shedding viruses without knowing, the air quality in a classroom is constantly changing. Furthermore, the HVAC systems may differ across buildings so the rate at which new vs. old air is circulated will also differ.
The InstaScope is a great tool to provide inspectors and building managers with valuable information in real-time that shows how many particles are in the air before and after cleaning events and filtration measures.
If you’re preparing to identify contaminants in local educational environments so that they may properly decrease the risk of exposure to students and faculty, then it’s time to rely on the InstaScope! To learn more about this state-of-the-art instrument, contact DetectionTek today by calling 720-410-7030 or emailing info@instascope.co.
