• With an endless coronavirus epidemic, the question of equipping schools with devices ensuring healthy air has arisen for local communities.

  • In Toulouse, from school to high school, air purifiers have so far failed.

  • But mobile CO2 sensors will be there for the start of the school year.

The Covid-19 is still not skipping school.

Local authorities in charge of schools must adapt to an eighth new health protocol to reassure parents at the start of the school year.

With in particular the arrival in the sanitary panel of equipment such as CO2 sensors, making it possible to measure whether the room is sufficiently ventilated, and the famous air purifiers.

So, what “sanitizing” equipment for Toulouse students?

The issue of air purifiers can be swept aside: there won't be any, neither in schools, nor in colleges, nor in high schools.

In the absence for the moment of government instructions, the local elected officials did not buy any.

Marion Lalane de Laubadère, the Education Assistant in Toulouse, and as such in charge of schools, is even skeptical. “You have to measure the real equality of this device, and see the usefulness and the need (…) I fear a trendy gadget effect,” she said. It also emphasizes that the purchase of such devices, “out of stock everywhere”, costs between “1,000 and 2,000 units”, not counting filters and maintenance. Georges Méric (PS), the president of the departmental council is on the same wavelength concerning the colleges. "There is no agreement between scientists on the interest of air purifiers," he recalls. For the Region, therefore the high schools, President Carole Delga (PS) is more conciliatory. If the instruction is finally given in high place to have some,she says she is ready to give "the go" for a public order.

Mobile CO2 sensors everywhere

CO2 sensors are more successful.

The Toulouse town hall firstly trusts "common sense" of teachers or staff to know whether or not to ventilate a room.

But it also has a dozen mobile C02 sensors that will rotate between the 210 schools as needed.

If classes request it, they will also be equipped.

For the 97 public colleges in Haute-Garonne, the Department has estimated the installation of sensors in each class at one million euros.

He finally opted for two mobile devices per establishment, or around 200 devices in total.

"They should be delivered quickly."

Finally, for high schools, the region already has a “made in Occitanie” mobile sensor for each establishment.

“They will be used primarily in collective catering areas where students will remove their masks,” says Vincent Bounes, vice-president in charge of health.

The community has also initiated the purchase of other sensors in anticipation of the winter period, when opening the windows to freshen the air will become more reckless.

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  • Coronavirus

  • Education

  • Toulouse

  • Society

  • Covid 19