England schools and colleges to get portable carbon dioxide monitors

All state schools and colleges in England will receive portable carbon dioxide monitors from next month to help tackle the spread of coronavirus.

The £25 million government scheme will allow staff to ‘quickly’ identify where classroom ventilation needs to be improved.

The majority of the 300,000 portable monitors – which measure airflow – will become available over the autumn term in a bid to avoid disruption to lessons when pupils return after the summer break.

They will be provided to all state-funded education settings, including nursery schools, but special schools and alternative provision will be prioritised due to high numbers of vulnerable pupils.

Ministers have already launched a trial of air purifiers in schools in Bradford, which is designed to assess whether they can reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said yesterday: ‘By keeping up simple measures such as ventilation and testing, young people can now enjoy more freedom at school and college.’ 

Reference: Sarah Harris for the Daily Mail