Education ministry says 90,000 CO2 readers to be installed in classrooms across Quebec
Classrooms throughout Quebec will be equipped with 90,000 carbon dioxide readers by the end of the year even though thousands of students have already returned to school.
The ministry of education stated in a press release Friday that the detectors are expected to be installed by the end of December 2021 in all kindergarten, elementary, high school, vocational and adult education classrooms.
CO2 readers are viewed to be a good indicator of indoor air quality. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, poor indoor air quality means virus droplets are more likely to be transmissible from person to person.
Back in July, the ministry issued a call for tenders to supply classrooms across the province with the readers with the goal of installing all of them by the end of June 2022.
The announcement on Friday means the readers, which will also be able to monitor temperature and relative humidity, will be installed six months earlier than expected, but still too late for the start of the 2021 school season.
The press release said the call for tenders was a “thorough and rigorous” process and the installation will be lead by Ali Bahloul, “a specialist in industrial ventilation and indoor air quality, and an associate professor” and researcher in the prevention of chemical, biological, mechanical and physical risks at the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail.
Already, less than two weeks into the back-to-school season, more than 600 Quebec schools have reported cases of COVID-19, which is well over twice as many as this time last year.
Total cases in the province among kids under 10 are also soaring way above the levels from last September and the numbers are being attributed to the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.
While the numbers of cases in schools has risen significantly compared to last year, the sharp increase in pediatric cases hasn’t led to horror stories of severely sick kids.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as sound of explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.