ST. GEORGE — A group of physicians is trying to make a positive difference in the learning atmosphere of students in Southern Utah, as well as across the state.
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment has partnered with the Utah Department of Health to help “clean” the air in schools and early education centers by providing top-quality air purifiers to classrooms and schools.
“We know that by providing the tools to clean the air and get rid of such things as germs, it provides better attendance and better performance for students,” Program Coordinator for Early Education Jake Jensen told St. George News during a phone interview.
Jensen said they recommend one air purifier unit per classroom. He reported that over 50% of local schools have benefitted from this program including Sandstone Elementary.
“The air purifiers benefit the schools in multiple ways including less absences, better academic performance and decreased transmission of airborne illnesses,” Jensen said.
Washington County School District Communication and Foundation Director Steve Dunham verified that about 50% of the elementary schools had received the air purifier units starting about November of last year.
“We are coming up on almost a year of having those within our schools,” Dunham said.
The Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment began in March 2007 in the northern area of the state. The program is newer in Southern Utah and has about 430 physicians and 3,500 members of the public, all dedicated to better health through “clean air for a clean future.”
The supplying air filters to schools throughout the state comes from a federal grant. The Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Reopening Schools Grant became available after the COVID-19 pandemic to help schools reopen safely.
“Medical research shows cleaner air helps protect long-term brain development and function,” said Dr. Brian Moench, President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. “Our school children have suffered a huge setback in their education because of COVID-19, so we should be doing everything we can to help them catch up. This program will improve their learning, test scores and career potential.”
Jensen added that the air purifiers help reduce the risk of catching COVID, as well as other airborne illnesses. According to the CDC, one of the three main ways COVID-19 can spread is by breathing in the air carrying droplets or aerosol particles that contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus when close to an infected person or in poorly ventilated spaces with infected persons.
Jensen said these air purifiers help remove those droplets or particles that contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus. He said these air purifiers are not the little ones available in retail stores but industrial top-quality CARB-certified machines. They cost just under $700 each.
CARB-certified means it has been approved for sale by the California Air Resources Board.
“So far 70% of K-12 schools and 50% of early education centers have opted to take advantage of this program since it began in April of 2022,” Jensen said.
Jensen said they also supply replacement filters for the units. Besides classrooms, the units can be placed in lunchrooms, offices, break rooms or anywhere students and staff gather.
He said schools can contact them before the deadline (end of July) by accessing the program website. At the bottom of the Free Air Purifiers page is a submit form for requesting air purifiers for the schools. Email inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
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