A “gap” in safety regulations is blocking schools from installing ultraviolet technology which could potentially help curb Covid-19 transmission, i can reveal.
Scientists working on a study into the impact of air purification technologies on Covid-19 transmission in classrooms discovered that certain UV (ultraviolet) devices cannot be fitted into schools under current regulations – despite the fact that the machines are used in other settings including hospitals.
As first reported by i in August, 30 primary schools in Bradford are taking part in a Government-funded research project looking at whether air purifiers and UV can reduce the spread of the coronavirus in classrooms.
The first stage of the pilot analysed the potential barriers to installing the devices in schools.
Professor Mark Mon-Williams of the University of Leeds, who is leading the project, said the researchers had not been able to use one of the types of technology they had planned for – named passive UV – after discovering a “legislative gap”.
While regulations allow the systems to be installed into…
