The coronavirus pandemic shows no signs of abating, and partly for this reason, efforts are underway to find ways to improve air quality in schools and daycare centers and to learn to live with the virus. Better ventilation systems would help maintain a reasonable level of risk, especially during an epidemic.
The right device virtually eliminates the risk of indirect infection
Unfortunately, ventilation is poor in many Estonian schools and kindergartens. In some places, it is inadequate or nonexistent. In such cases, a portable air purifier could help mitigate the risks. It would reduce the concentration of the virus in the air, which in turn would lower the risk of indirect transmission. Portable air purifiers are particularly helpful when budgets are tight. With the right device and proper placement, the risk of indirect transmission is reduced to practically zero.
Many educational institutions order fewer devices than are actually needed to cover all rooms, purely to save money. In this case, for example, the devices in the classrooms can be used in the auditorium, gym, and school cafeteria. This, in turn, requires that the air purifier be portable.
People often make mistakes when choosing an air purifier and end up with a unit that is too weak for the room, which does not guarantee the desired results. Air purifiers are specialized devices by nature, so you should consult a specialist when purchasing one. There are also certain requirements for air purifiers regarding virus protection, meaning that, unfortunately, most devices are not suitable for this purpose.
Jaanus Liba, product manager at Pro Air , a company that sells and rents air purification equipment, says that to date, several schools and preschools have secured funding on their own: “In Tallinn, Pärnu, Tartu, and Saaremaa, there are companies and government agencies (including schools and kindergartens) that have already found a way to purchase or rent the equipment. In Tartu, we are still in negotiations with a few schools. At the same time, it seems to me that awareness of this issue at the national level is quite low, or perhaps there simply isn’t funding available for it this year.”
He notes that, in fact, many schools and preschools are in desperate need of a solution to improve air quality. This is true even during virus-free periods, when the air contains pollen, bacteria, viruses, allergens, air pollution, indoor air pollution, etc., all of which affect our health.
Which air purifier should I choose?
Trotec’s high-performance air purifiers, such as the TAC V+, AirgoClean® One, as well as the AirgoClean® 250 E and AirgoClean ® 350 E, are nationally approved air purification devices in Germany and Austria that, when properly selected, can be used to prevent indirect transmission.
Depending on the model, the devices are equipped with an integrated handle, a wall mount, or sturdy, smooth-rolling wheels. This means that teachers do not need any special strength or specific knowledge to move or set up the unit. This means that mobile AirgoClean air purifiers can always be moved flexibly, easily, and safely from room to room, just as required by the hygiene concept—adapting to the number of people, occupancy density, safety level, background noise, and room size.
What should you keep in mind when choosing an air purifier?
Maximum flexibility of use. The AirgoClean® series of mobile, high-performance air purifiers is easy for a single person to move thanks to their excellent maneuverability. They can be conveniently transported and easily loaded into a car or van. The smooth-rolling wheels make it easy to move and maneuver them, even in tight spaces and elevators.
The volume of the space to be ventilated by the air purifier must be large enough to allow for at least four air changes per hour. This is the only way to ensure that the aerosol concentration in the room decreases within a few minutes. High-performance air purifiers such as the AirgoClean® One and TAC V+ achieve these high air exchange rates thanks to their high airflow, generated by continuously self-regulating EC centrifugal fans. Many devices currently on the market are not designed to generate high airflow rates, which is why they cannot be used to reduce aerosols in larger rooms.
The filter used must be certified in accordance with the DIN EN 1822 standard. Only high-performance HEPA filters compliant with the EN 1822 standard, which are used in AirgoClean ® One and in the TAC series models, are capable of filtering out up to 99.995% of even small virus-laden aerosols (0.1–0.3 µm) from the room air. This means that H14-HEPA filters are already ten times more effective than H13-HEPA filters and 100 times more effective than H12 filters
A Sustainable Investment in Health and Productivity
Thanks to Trotec’s high-performance air purifiers, you can safely and easily return to your normal daily routine despite the virus. High-performance air purifiers can also provide effective protection against infection with the flu virus during the annual flu season. Devices that protect against indirect transmission are already in use in schools and daycare centers in Germany and Austria as part of a national program.
Trotec’s high-performance, portable AirgoClean® and TAC series air purifiers are available at the Pro Air OÜ online store and at the Kuma tee 10 showroom in Peetri.
Pro Air’s experts are happy to advise clients in person; their experience and expertise have been gained in Germany.
