[March 20, 2022 update] A version of the N95 motion was brought before YorkU Senate in January 2022 by Senator Patrick Phillips. It appears to have passed but has not led to subsidized distribution of N95s on campus. [Feb 2, 2022 update] The first motion (Recommendation for N95s) resulted in a recommendation email to all […]
In 2020 and 2021 we wore masks. In 2022 we will be wearing respirators. Whether they’re official NIOSH N95s, CAN95, or KN95 , for the purpose of general public use we can just call them “N95s”. The need for N95s has been clear from the beginning of the pandemic, but for two years most of […]
[Updates: Dec 23, 2021; Jan 31, 2022 ; Feb 16, 2022 ; March 17; 2022; April 28, 2022] This page is for general information on tools to help us fight COVID. I’ll focus primarily on respirators and air quality here and less on vaccines: Masks and Respirators section Air Quality Measurement (CO2, etc.) section HEPA […]
[updated Dec 9, 2021] Masks are a form of personal protective equipment that can be very effective at spreading COVID. In your classroom you should only see masked students and they should all be wearing high quality models that protects all of us from the airborne hazard known as COVID. Here’s why. Student Accessibility Services […]
I’m submitting the following four motions to my department’s monthly meeting to see if we can set ourselves up for a safer return to campus. There are four motions: A recommendation for wearing N95 Funding for N95s A request for CO2 sensors A request for portable air purifiers (HEPA) Feel free to reuse and/or adapt, […]
October 31, 2021 (Updated Nov. 5, 2021) [Update Nov 5, 2021] In response to my questions I have received a letter from the Provost of the University, Prof. Lisa Philipps. Only the academic freedom question was addressed. The administration of York University has announced a return to face-to-face teaching in January 2021, with changes in […]
It’s Oct 8, 2021. Last week I heard from my Vice Dean of the plan to go back to in-person teaching in January, 2022.[1] I believe that this is potentially a premature decision as York University appears to have ignored deficiencies in its measures to fight COVID. These include a vaccination documentation system that may […]
The CS Viamonde school board provided a response about the status of ventilation and air filtering at the La Mosaïque elementary school in the east end of Toronto on August 24, 2021. The letter is included at the bottom of this blog post Executive Summary Air filtering is vital to keep our kids safe in […]
Introduction COVID has changed everything about campus life. In order to maximize the safety of students, staff and faculty at York University, we, as a community, need to focus on multiple factors, including: Vaccinations Ventilation (and air filtering) Masking Progressive work / study policies Last week, our university partially caved to pressure from the YorkU […]
Introduction It’s May, 14, 2021 and the consensus is that COVID is airborne, that the characteristics of aerosols play a significant role in how it spreads and infects. This is distinct from the outdated assumption that it is spread primarily through droplets and/or surface contact (foamites). Summary: Add CO2 Sensors to our Classrooms & Offices […]