Always and everywhere: window ventilation
Ask schools about an annoying topic and you won't just hear "Corona." "Ventilation" is now just as present in German classrooms. Ventilation, that is the technique of the hour to avoid contagions and school closures.
- The Federal Environment Agency recommends intensive ventilation in schools every 20 minutes on a regular basis.
- Additional ventilation during breaks is also recommended.
- Only intensive shock ventilation and cross-ventilation brings the necessary air exchange, no tilt position of the windows!
Even with the simple rules - keep your distance, observe hygiene and wear an everyday mask - schools had often reached their limits. And the ventilation recommendation now brought with it completely new problems.
Teaching with obstacles
While the summer was still quite trouble-free for everyone, with plenty of outdoor opportunities and low infection rates, the autumn brought what experts had warned about: Where the windows of the classrooms could be opened easily, regular airing quickly brought students and teachers to their limits. Without blankets and thick sweaters, nothing worked, and the quality of teaching suffered significantly. But in many places, the structural conditions were simply not designed for ventilation, as parents and teachers repeatedly reported in the media. Windows could be opened only partially or not at all. Time and money were too short for expensive renovation measures, and the effort was not affordable.
Important: air purifiers for classrooms
Experts, parents and teachers have been calling for professional air purifiers for some time now. However, the responsible authorities have not yet been able to issue any uniform recommendations. They stick to the above-mentioned ventilation recommendation of the Federal Environment Agency, which was drawn up for the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. But studies clearly show that the worse a room can be ventilated, the more important it is to use an additional air purifier. The risk of infection is significantly reduced by professional equipment. The studies also show: Even if the classroom can be optimally ventilated, an additional air purifier still significantly reduces the risk of infection.
What to look for in an air purifier?
When purchasing an air purifier for the classroom, it is important to pay attention to the following points:
- The device must not emit harmful by-products such as ozone.
- For safe operation in the school, the device should have a child safety lock and automatic switch-off.
- The operating volume must not disturb lessons.
- The unit should be durable and require little maintenance.
- It must be possible to change the filter safely and easily, even without the help of qualified technical personnel.
