Best way to protect school kids from COVID

This is a letter in response to the Sept. 1 open letter by a number of physicians about masks and maintaining distance, particularly in schools.

The professionals for environmental control are industrial hygienists. Hospitals rely upon industrial hygienists for environmental toxicology when designing their systems.

The definition of an industrial hygienist from the AIHA:

That science and art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of those environmental factors or stressors arising in or from the workplace which may cause sickness or impaired health and well-being, or significant discomfort among workers or among the citizens of the community.

But wait. The CDC, OSHA and some physicians recommend masks.

According to OSHA on page 1 of its “additional considerations for PPE”: recommends wearing masks. But on page 6, “surgical masks are not respirators and do not provide the same level of protection and do not provide the workers the same level of protection as properly fitted respirators. Cloth face coverings are also not acceptable replacements for respirators.”

Surgical masks are not designed or certified to prevent the inhalation of small airborne contaminants. These particles are not visible to the naked eye but may still be capable of causing infection.

Surgical masks are not designed to seal tightly against the user’s face. During inhalation, much of the potentially contaminated air can pass through gaps between the face and the surgical mask and not be pulled through the filter material of the mask.

Their ability to filter small particles varies significantly based upon the type of material used to make the surgical mask, so they cannot be relied upon to protect workers against airborne infectious agents.

In fact, a simple test is: can a human hair penetrate the sides of the face masks we see being worn? The diameter of a human hair is 4,000 times larger than a micron. COVID measures LESS than a micron.

The letter also suggests maintaining 3 feet of distance when possible. In actuality small aerosols remain in the environment for days.

The correct method to treat airborne viruses is environmental controls. Using industrial hygienists to review current ventilation systems in schools and make recommendations would have more efficacy than requiring wearing masks and social distancing.

•••

Catherine Hoffman is a Hayden resident.