CDC Offers Action Items to Reduce Infection Risks in Schools

In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the release of new guidance for preventing the spread of infections in K-12 schools. The agency shared various everyday actions that schools can take to help keep students healthy by mitigating the spread of infections.

The five actions listed by the CDC are:

• Taking steps for cleaner air
• Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting
• Hand washing
• Respiratory etiquette
• Vaccinations

Cleaner air can reduce the likelihood of spreading disease, particularly respiratory viruses. Strategies listed by the CDC to achieve this include:

• Ensuring existing HVAC systems are providing outdoor air in accordance with ventilation design codes
• Considering ventilation design and/or enhancements when remodeling or constructing new buildings to optimize clean air
• Opening windows, when doing so does not create a safety hazard, to increase ventilation
• Using portable air cleaners in spaces with low ventilation

“Infection prevention can be as simple as conforming with the design occupancy rate by ensuring no more students occupy a space than the system was designed to handle. Infection prevention can also be complicated, such as struggling to identify the target pathogen, choosing target-appropriate disinfectant for pathogens of concern, mixing cleaning and disinfecting agents according to the manufacturer’s specification, applying agents in compliance with the EPA registration requirements for precleaning, dwell time, rinsing, etc.,” said Derrick A. Denis, Disaster Ready Emergency Preparedness and Infection Control (DR EPIC) Program Industrial Hygienist and Senior Vice President for Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “To assist in these efforts, the infection control, industrial hygiene, and indoor environmental quality experts at CSC offer school building assessments and inspections; HVAC system evaluations; 3rd party confirmation of cleaning and disinfection protocols; and air, surface, and water testing for environmental pathogens. These resources support programs by schools and universities to protect their students, teachers, and staff. We even provide training services for school administrators and facility managers to help ensure they have the knowledge and tools to optimize indoor conditions in the classroom and other educational facilities.”

CSC also recently sponsored an educational video sharing the CDC’s everyday action items for schools to prevent and control the spread of infections. It can be seen at: https://youtu.be/chhbvzt4WjM

To learn more about this or other infection control, indoor air quality, building science, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com, or call (800) 807-1118.

About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address indoor air quality, occupational, and environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers, and real estate professionals.

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