I'm thrilled to be leading, along with AJ Prussin II, an ARPA-H BREATHE team that will integrate new biosensors, risk assessment software, and engineering controls to bring clean and healthy indoor air to more buildings.

arpah.gov/news-and-eve...

Congratulations! Will this initiative address the situation schools? 🤞🤞

No one should have to risk their health for their education. It's long past time to stand up & protect kids with measurably healthy, transparent indoor air quality in CA schools! We need state legislation with TEETH to protect the health, education & future of kids. /5 (end)

This makes it impossible for high-risk children, many of whom can't mask reliably, to safely attend public school (again ask me how I know). Failing to meet public health & CDE guidance on IAQ while refusing to address the issue is not "appropriate" @dredf.bsky.social /4

Yet, too many CA school districts REFUSE to follow CDPH or CDE minimum IAQ guidance, provide IAQ transparency, or allow donations of portable air cleaners to improve the situation (ask me how I know). /3

Lawmakers & politicians: Please start fighting for measurably healthy & transparent indoor air quality in schools!

@capublichealth.bsky.social says MINIMUM IAQ for schools = ~2X> than building code & @cadepted.bsky.social says code IS NOT ADEQUATE www.cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/iaq.asp. /2

Violet Affleck 🔥 at UN: “We need people who remember 2020…to be loud about the world we were promised.” C0VID harms last. Kids didn’t ask for chronic illness & have no agency. Ignoring IAQ = violating human rights.

@gavinnewsom.bsky.social @caspeakerrivas.bsky.social @rbkforassembly.bsky.social
1/

Without IAQ that protects HEALTH, high risk kids are forced to chose between education & worsening disability or worse. IDEA + formal guidance on IAQ should protect kids in this situation, but it is not. Kids are not missing out on a free & appropriate education. Legislators must close the loophole.

The MINIMUM guidance is there, but schools ignore/ undercut it. While clean air is critical for all children for SO many reasons, it is particularly important for kids w/ documented disabilities that put them at higher risk for severe outcomes from COVID. Adequate IAQ is necessary to deliver FAPE.

CDPH: "Title 24 requires at least 15 cfm/occupant or 0.15 cfm/ft2 of outdoor air, whichever is greater... to prevent the spread of respiratory infections... CDPH recommends... a minimum of at least 5 ACH or 30 cfm/occupant of... clean airflow, whichever is greater" www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID...

The @cadepted.bsky.social IAQ guide is clear: "building codes do not ADEQUATELY cover air quality requirements." @capublichealth.bsky.social = ~2x > than @calenergy.bsky.social code. Legislators must close this loophole. Title 24 is not FAPE! @rbkforassembly.bsky.social

cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/iaq.asp

To go along with @joeallenjoe.bsky.social's recent post about California adopting ventilation targets for schools, UC Berkeley just launched the National Center on School Infrastructure school-infrastructure.org with a searchable resource library that will start in 2025.

The TL:DR is that SARS-CoV-2 is out of control, hasn't gotten less "scary", is airborne, spreads like wildfire, has long term implications, & presymptomatic/asymptomatic spread is prolific. It's also largely preventable & patients & staff must be properly protected w/ N95s. /🛑

The first "S" in SARS-CoV-2 still stands for "Severe," but not always in the acute phase... 90% of people that develop Long Covid initially had mild COVID-19: www.nature.com/articles/s41... /5

An estimated +/- ~60% of transmission of SARS2 is asymptomatic or presymptomatic jamanetwork.com/journals/jam..., and yet... /4

With each new peer reviewed study, negative long term implications of repeatedly getting SARS2 come into better focus: still "scary"! @zalaly.bsky.social @virusesimmunity.bsky.social @daniellebeckman.bsky.social @erictopol.bsky.social & more highlight 🧠🫀🩸🦴 issues & cumulative risk of Long COVID /3

There is a lot to unpack here starting with the notion that patients used to understand that healthcare providers *were* wearing respirators because 'We were dealing with a scary emerging pathogen." Newsflash: we still are! Talk to Mike Hoerger @tulanemedicine.bsky.social pmc19.com/data/index.php /2

This comment is a failure of public health. #HICPAC must stop imagining patient feelings & start reading letters to HICPAC from actual patients & providers who don't want to catch Covid or other airborne pathogens in healthcare youtube.com/clip/UgkxY4r... /1

Great piece in the Irish Examiner about clean air in schools

Clean air in schools should NOT be controversial

It is affordable, easily achievable and benefits kids in many ways

And again, this should NOT be controversial

No paywall so please read and share

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...