4 ms·

Great except they are being ignored EDIT; being downvoted for sharing what is actually happening on the ground

Resinderate 5y ago
Yeah partner is a teacher and have heard the same. "Hey, the monitor is too high what should we do?", "Open the door", "It is open", "Open the windows.", "They are open.", "Okay, never mind".
- 656565656565 5y ago
  Several academies at least have rooms in constant red with doors windows opened
  - raverbashing 5y ago
    Well if the windows and doors are open they can't do much more (there's also measurement inertia, it might be getting ventilated but it will take some time to register) Lack of ventilation plays a big role on the spread
    - giantg2 5y ago
      They can do more. The HVAC systems should increase air exchange, to reduce recirculation, and likely need higher output (more cfm - larger ducts, more ducts, and/or higher velocity).
      - JamesMcMinn 5y ago
        Very few schools in the UK have a HVAC system. Some of the more modern ones perhaps, but the majority of schools in the UK are likely older than the students grandparents.
        giantg2 5y ago
        True. I'm just saying that technically they could upgrade (or implement) the HVAC system to meet the new demands. Working with the existing hardware and not making any changes makes the CO2 meters practically worthless. Now we've added the stress or placebo effect of knowing that it's a detrimental environment on top of it actually being one.
        pjc50 5y ago
        Technically maybe. Within the budget set by central government? No.
        janekm 5y ago
        If all they achieve is getting the windows opened that is already a huge success. I would expect adding a simple fan to speed up the air exchange would help a lot too...
        giantg2 5y ago
        I would hope. Although based on other comments it sounds like even with the windows and doors open it's still high. Maybe a window fan would be beneficial, but I wonder if the heating system would keep up with it in the winter.
      - xxs 5y ago
        cfm - darn, this the UK, it's quite metric.
  - jdavis703 5y ago
    They allow doors to be propped open? Doesn’t this endanger the students with increased risks from active shooters?
    - oxidising 5y ago
      Luckily we don't have gunmen running through schools in the UK.
      - mavhc 5y ago
        We did once, so we banned guns.
    - kwhitefoot 5y ago
      Was that seriously meant? Or are you trolling?
      - jdavis703 5y ago
        No, this is literal school policy in the US.
        kwhitefoot 5y ago
        I'm glad my children didn't have that to worry about in Norway nor myself in the UK (many years ago).
    - C19is20 5y ago
      I laughed out loud - best ever humour on hn, ever.
    - mbg721 5y ago
      Well, if they're airsoft guns, the decreased CO2 renders them unfireable.
JamesMcMinn 5y ago
This is my understanding having spoken to a couple of teachers. The only real option they have to increase ventilation is to open windows, however when it's below freezing outside and windy, this isn't a good solution and doesn't actually help all that much in most instances. A more robust air purification and ventilation system is what's actually needed, but good luck getting the Government to fund that, especially with the age and general run-down state of many of the UKs schools. For what it's worth, you're probably being down-voted because you presented no evidence or context, rather than for the message itself.
- nicoburns 5y ago
  > good luck getting the Government to fund that, especially with the age and general run-down state of many of the UKs schools. Given how expensive the pandemic has been, I wonder if they might actually do this at some point. If covid doesn't just fade away it's probably one of the most effective things they could do to lessen the impact.
  - cjrp 5y ago
    Given how expensive the pandemic has been, I expect we'll see less funding of schools, not more.
- lbriner 5y ago
  Why do people constantly talk about the Government funding things? The Tax Payer funds government spending, the government simply allocates is, so to spend X 100 million + requires cutting other services or raising taxes, neither of which are popular. Taxation also causes all sorts of other issues since a large percentage of the population don't pay tax (or much tax), so then there are issues of fairness. Add it to VAT? Income tax? Corporation tax?
  - neilwilson 5y ago
    Somebody who needs to read https://new-wayland.com/blog/how-the-governments-super-platinum-credit-card-works/ https://new-wayland.com/blog/how-the-governments-super-plati... The people who work on school renovations earn money and spend it into the economy. Lots of people will earn more because of it. The only downside is that some private projects will be delayed or scrapped because people are working on school renovations instead. That's the actual cost of public projects. It's never a matter of money. Only ever a matter of alternative uses for the effort of real people.
chrisco255 5y ago
Because it is excessively cautious and basically useless. Virus particles are everywhere. There is no avoiding them.

Yeah partner is a teacher and have heard the same. "Hey, the monitor is too high what should we do?", "Open the door", "It is open", "Open the windows.", "They are open.", "Okay, never mind".

656565656565 5y ago
Several academies at least have rooms in constant red with doors windows opened
- raverbashing 5y ago
  Well if the windows and doors are open they can't do much more (there's also measurement inertia, it might be getting ventilated but it will take some time to register) Lack of ventilation plays a big role on the spread
  - giantg2 5y ago
    They can do more. The HVAC systems should increase air exchange, to reduce recirculation, and likely need higher output (more cfm - larger ducts, more ducts, and/or higher velocity).
    - JamesMcMinn 5y ago
      Very few schools in the UK have a HVAC system. Some of the more modern ones perhaps, but the majority of schools in the UK are likely older than the students grandparents.
      - giantg2 5y ago
        True. I'm just saying that technically they could upgrade (or implement) the HVAC system to meet the new demands. Working with the existing hardware and not making any changes makes the CO2 meters practically worthless. Now we've added the stress or placebo effect of knowing that it's a detrimental environment on top of it actually being one.
        pjc50 5y ago
        Technically maybe. Within the budget set by central government? No.
        janekm 5y ago
        If all they achieve is getting the windows opened that is already a huge success. I would expect adding a simple fan to speed up the air exchange would help a lot too...
        giantg2 5y ago
        I would hope. Although based on other comments it sounds like even with the windows and doors open it's still high. Maybe a window fan would be beneficial, but I wonder if the heating system would keep up with it in the winter.
    - xxs 5y ago
      cfm - darn, this the UK, it's quite metric.
- jdavis703 5y ago
  They allow doors to be propped open? Doesn’t this endanger the students with increased risks from active shooters?
  - oxidising 5y ago
    Luckily we don't have gunmen running through schools in the UK.
    - mavhc 5y ago
      We did once, so we banned guns.
  - kwhitefoot 5y ago
    Was that seriously meant? Or are you trolling?
    - jdavis703 5y ago
      No, this is literal school policy in the US.
      - kwhitefoot 5y ago
        I'm glad my children didn't have that to worry about in Norway nor myself in the UK (many years ago).
  - C19is20 5y ago
    I laughed out loud - best ever humour on hn, ever.
  - mbg721 5y ago
    Well, if they're airsoft guns, the decreased CO2 renders them unfireable.

JamesMcMinn 5y ago

This is my understanding having spoken to a couple of teachers. The only real option they have to increase ventilation is to open windows, however when it's below freezing outside and windy, this isn't a good solution and doesn't actually help all that much in most instances. A more robust air purification and ventilation system is what's actually needed, but good luck getting the Government to fund that, especially with the age and general run-down state of many of the UKs schools. For what it's worth, you're probably being down-voted because you presented no evidence or context, rather than for the message itself.

nicoburns 5y ago
> good luck getting the Government to fund that, especially with the age and general run-down state of many of the UKs schools. Given how expensive the pandemic has been, I wonder if they might actually do this at some point. If covid doesn't just fade away it's probably one of the most effective things they could do to lessen the impact.
- cjrp 5y ago
  Given how expensive the pandemic has been, I expect we'll see less funding of schools, not more.
lbriner 5y ago
Why do people constantly talk about the Government funding things? The Tax Payer funds government spending, the government simply allocates is, so to spend X 100 million + requires cutting other services or raising taxes, neither of which are popular. Taxation also causes all sorts of other issues since a large percentage of the population don't pay tax (or much tax), so then there are issues of fairness. Add it to VAT? Income tax? Corporation tax?
- neilwilson 5y ago
  Somebody who needs to read https://new-wayland.com/blog/how-the-governments-super-platinum-credit-card-works/ https://new-wayland.com/blog/how-the-governments-super-plati... The people who work on school renovations earn money and spend it into the economy. Lots of people will earn more because of it. The only downside is that some private projects will be delayed or scrapped because people are working on school renovations instead. That's the actual cost of public projects. It's never a matter of money. Only ever a matter of alternative uses for the effort of real people.

chrisco255 5y ago

Because it is excessively cautious and basically useless. Virus particles are everywhere. There is no avoiding them.