SAFER AIR: OUSD IS INSTALLING AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM IN THE SCHOOL TO IMPROVE VENTILATION AND CUT VIRUS RISK FOR A SAFE RETURN TO CLASSROOM

As an educational institution, health and wellbeing of the students and staff is in the forefront of our priorities. Coronavirus cases are on the rise in Oconto County and it is important to consider ways for a safe return to school after this brief October closure. In order to mitigate the possibilities of going back to virtual classes, we are delighted to announce about the installation of new air filtration system which will aid in providing clean and healthy air in the classroom and spaces in and around the building.

The COVID-19 virus primarily spreads through infected respiratory droplets and possibly through droplet nuclei and aerosols, which are much smaller and lighter and can therefore, remain airborne for longer periods of time. Without proper air filtration, it’s possible these aerosols can get caught in the return of an HVAC system and recirculate into other parts of the building, thus spreading the infection further.

Oconto School District is working with Global Plasma Solution (GPS) which specializes in making HVAC system pandemic ready by using Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization technology (NPBI). GPS has successfully installed their air purifier systems in multiple universities, more than 1,000 K-12 schools, hospitals, sports arenas, hospitality, airports, and over 150,000 installations worldwide. They have also installed GPS’Ion Bars throughout Google Facility in Chicago and San Jose.

For years, GPS has been used in private airplanes to disinfect the air in the cabin. One of GPS large aviation customers have been the US Air Force. Recent test results published by Aviation Clean Air and Stanford laboratories, shows high efficacy of GPS system against the SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19 virus). The results shows a 99.4 kill rate inside the airplane within 30 minutes of exposure. At the Air Handling Units (AHU) where the GPS ion concentration was higher, their testing showed 100% kill rate within 3 minutes. The test results provide independent verification that the GPS technology is extremely effective in killing the SARS-COV-2 (Covid-19) virus.

Innovative Bioanalysis lab test results data reveal that when the virus is exposed to bipolar ionization for 10,15, and 30 minutes, it was determined that at 10 minutes, 84.2% of the virus was inactivated, at 15 minutes 92.6% of the virus was inactivated, and at 30 minutes 99.4% of the virus was inactivated.

So how does ions work?

Ions are present naturally in the air and are found in the highest concentrations where the ocean meets the shore and high elevation in the mountains.

The plasma process will artificially create the ions found in these desirable locations and supply them into the building, enhancing the indoor air quality. The benefits of the NPBI technology is not limited to only killing the COVID-19 virus but cold and flu virus, seasonal allergies, and greatly improve other parameters like particle reduction, odor control, pathogen and mold spores control, and energy savings by outside air reductions.

• Air Filter System Explained!