When will our children get HEPA filters in their classrooms? I am so tired of my children constantly being ill and missing school!

[Annemcc32]

I can't believe we are still waiting for HEPA filters in classrooms, they were talking about this in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and STILL they have done nothing! What exactly are they waiting for at this point? There's tons of evidence that they work to remove viruses from the air.
My kids have had Covid 4 times so far and were both very ill. How can they defend doing nothing to prevent staff and children? They have a duty of care to provide a safe environment.
The MOST annoying thing is that clean air IS provided in the Houses of Parliament, many private schools and even the DfE!!
Other countries have already done this now and it reduces transmission of airborne viruses to offer a layer of protection and reduce illness/absence.
I noticed that one council has committed to it just recently (Herefordshire I think). Why is this not being sorted out ASAP before the kids go back in September?
Why are we so bad at protecting our kids?
Not to mention that IF bird flu takes off (no pun intended) this would help. Where did public health go? The UKHSA seem to have taken a sabbatical for the last four years.

@Annemcc32 i'm interested in seeing what research you reference. there's a lot to be acknowledged about the poor conditions many teachers and pupils are working /learning in (my kids were taught in run down portacabins for most of their primary and i hate to think how many schools have had issues with asbestos ect) but what i am taking issue with is your over-focus on Covid specifically.

I think it is a good idea but difficult to implement. It is normal for young children to catch illness as their immune system is developing. The frequency of illness is partly genetic and much of it is related to diet.

I hope this thread is still here in 10 years when the kids start asking why you didn't protect them. I understand you're all defensive, you know you could do more, but no one else around you is bothering and you dont want to stand out. We know Mumsnet is where the mean bully girls hang out, we also know where you peak. And it's here, trying to make others look silly to make yourself feel better. But I know what I'll say to my kids when they ask about COVID, I'll tell them I did my best and I made sure they didn't catch it because their bodies and brains are important to me. What will you say? You thought it was more fun to mock people on the internet? Lolz.

This comment is completely wrong and anybody relying on it is risking their and their child's health - it's disinformation. HEPA filters clean the air: they suck IN the air in a room, and they trap the pollutants, allergens, viruses and bacteria, before fanning out the cleaned air. Don't take my word for it - please look at what Professor Cath Noakes (Civil Eng Prof at Leeds Uni. infection transmission, ventilation, fluid dynamics, building physics, indoor air, STEM advocate, codeclub, OBE) writes on the matter. https://x.com/CathNoakes/status/1732049827599462564

I want my kids not to be unnecessarily made ill due to being too lazy to take the necessary and simple actions to keep the classrooms well ventilated. It is government guidance to do this. Along with H&S - but no parents are too stupid and continue to accept schools which are poorly ventilated, hubs of infection. And guess what...as of Sept you'll also be fined if your kids are off sick too often as many schools are no longer authorising sickness thanks to the hard attendance drive. Sick kids don't learn. Seriously kids become sick adults and the economy suffers both ways.

GET A BLOODY GRIP

HEPA filters clean the air of pollution, allergens, viruses and bacteria - not just Covid. The advantages of using them are huge, regardless of Covid.
However, Covid IS a threat to children's long-term health: over 100,000 children already have Long Covid, and we don't know the complete impacts of multiple infections, but the hundreds of studies so far are very concerning.

So, having read the posts in this thread, here are my thoughts. Firstly those who are asking for clean air in schools are not asking the very hard pushed school budgets to provide this. Clean air is a right and as such should be provided by the state and any running costs reimbursed. Fundraising has been tried and in some schools has been successful in all senses of the word. However, many schools have not been happy to allow this. This is in part due to the Govt narrative that the pandemic is over and the associated policies that then filter down through the DOE (who incidentally installed Hepa filters in their headquarters 2 years ago) Secondly, filters will not eliminate the problem, but they can and do make a difference, there is plenty of evidence to show this. We should take notice of the countries who are making these changes and yes, investing money on clean air for both children and adults. How long will we stubbornly avoid the idea that we do have a problem and will have worse problems in the future if we don't act now? It is a scary thought, but sadly there will be other pandemics and pretending there won't be is foolish. Parents are strong and good at pulling together, parents fight for their children. It is time for parents to stand up and speak out on this issue.

According to you lot, the kids won’t be here in 10 years as covid will have got them all 🤪

I'd re read that once you've looked up the chances of long COVID increasing with every infection. And the increase in stroke, heart attack dementia....how many years it takes off your life. Because it's not just the kids getting infected is it. Hope you can still do a silly emoji face after educating yourself. Glad you can face it all happily.

I’m not sure what you expect me to say?
I object to my children being constantly infected and no one, ever, acknowledging the mountain of research which proves this is very bad for them.
At this point, the evidence is not the problem. There’s loads of it! 500,000 studies.
The problem is that everyone is pretending it’s fine to keep catching it. We know it isn’t 🤷🏻‍♀️
The 110,000 stat is from the ONS.
Loads of evidence is on here:https://www.longcovidkids.org

I’m not asking about hepa filter research ,I’m interested in the research that the OP ( and yourself)refers to about reinfections with Covid causing ever worse problems, particularly research in children rather than older adults or those who first caught Covid prior to jabs being available .

One more thing. I support PIMS-TS (an acute inflammatory post Covid condition in children and young people) My son had Kawasaki Disease aged 5 (a very similar condition) many years ago. Due to the Govt covering this up, my husband and I created a website pims-hub.org.uk which tells you all you need to know. PIMS is not common, so pleased don't be alarmed, but 3,000 children in the UK have had it. It nearly always occurs after the first Covid infection. So following the logic, it is currently most likely to occur in our youngest Covid naïve children. If you have children of this age, please take a look and share with friends. Swift diagnosis is vital for best outcomes xx

Jokes right?! 🤯🤦🏽‍♀️🤬www.longcovidkids.org

See how you feel about that "over-focus" after this youhavetoliveyour.life/

That info is easily available, it's not a secret and you don't need to dig around the internet, it's right there. Now we're 5 years into the pandemic more and more research can be done and more things come to light. Like the current blood shortage because you can't donate if you have long COVID, or if you've been ill (with anything) in the last 12 weeks, and everyone is constantly ill. Or like the info on strokes and heart attack, it's easy to find.

School is meant to be safe. It isn't currently.

It’s not though ,that’s why I’m asking !

Schools don't need this. They have better things to spend money on. Lots of children go to school and aren't ill. Lots of children have never had Covid.

x.com/longcovidkids/status/1793713984333590669?s=46&t=ksYD8M1iU2U2zo2b0SGBvw

You are basing this on…?

@Annemcc32 You are basing this on…?

Worked in schools for many years. Hope that's good enough for you.

Whole list of studies here...
https://www.longcovidkids.org/long-covid-research-on-children

Not really no.