BREATHE CLEANER AIR WITH ELECTRICALDIRECT’S EXTENDED RANGE OF AIR PURIFIERS

ElectricalDirect has added more products to its air purification range to help education specifiers and facilities managers protect indoor spaces against harmful germs and unpleasant odours.

 

Suitable for public and commercial spaces, ElectricalDirect has added the Vent-Axia PureAir Room Air Purifier to its range. This advanced multistage air cleaning system is able to remove 99.9% of airborne particles including COVID-19, viruses and bacteria.

The Vent-Axia PureAir Room Purifier also features a six-stage filtration system: a washable pre-filter, an H13 HEPA filter, an activated carbon filter, a cold catalyst filter, ultraviolet light, and an ionizer. With a capacity of up to 30m2 and a maximum noise level of 45d(B)A, the user will not be disturbed by loud background noise.

This portable and lightweight product also benefits from an auto mode that sets airflow based on the indoor air pollution, air quality display and a timer to allow you to set the unit to run for periods up to eight hours. Additionally, it features three speeds which can be manually or automatically controlled, meaning it can be easily adjusted for the level of usage required.

For increased functionality, ElectricalDirect also stocks the Vent Axia PureAir Room Air Purifier with Smart App Control which can be operated by its SmartLife app. This feature gives the ability to link multiple air purifiers to one app and remotely control each unit, speeding up the process of maintaining larger properties.

ElectricalDirect’s line up also includes the super slim air purifiers from AirX Pro, which is a medical grade air purifying system that removes 99.9% allergens and 93.3% of odours, from airborne viruses and dust mites to organic fumes, tobacco smoke, traffic pollution and more.

Carrie Earl, Category Manager at ElectricalDirect, said: “As part of our promise to offer a huge range of products, we are pleased to have increased our portfolio of air purifiers to meet the growing demand for improved air quality. These are excellent solutions to providing healthier indoor environments, especially as we approach winter and consider the health implications related to poor air quality.”

Specialist online retailer, ElectricalDirect has over 12,000 products in stock including everything from sockets, switches and cable management, to hand dryers and panel heaters. Education specifiers and facilities managers can choose from a range of flexible delivery options to meet the needs of their busy schedules, including free next day delivery on orders over £45 ex VAT, same day delivery to postcodes in selected areas of London and the East of England, as well as click and collect from 6,500 pick up points across the UK.

 

To find out more about ElectricalDirect, CLICK HERE

 

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Limescale protection in school electric hot water systems

As the electricity grid becomes cleaner and the potential for long-term carbon savings grows, school hot water systems in the UK are seeing an increased transition towards electric-only designs. Through the application of simple to install, cost-effective, and familiar technology they deliver lower carbon emissions in line with government calls for net zero, address regulatory changes on new gas connections and remove NO2 for improved indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant comfort. However, there is also a growing realisation that this approach is suffering more acutely from the detrimental issue of rapid limescale generation in hard water areas.

While an optimised electric based system will be future-proofed through the incorporation of heat pump technology, electrical resistive heating remains a necessary component of many systems to deliver the high-grade heat required for domestic hot water (DHW) applications. Typically, the resistive heating is provided ‘directly’ to the hot water cylinder via an electrical immersion heater.
Electric immersion heaters have been used for many years as backup heat sources in boiler-fed indirect cylinders, a lower-demand schools applications for which they are perfectly suitable. However, direct immersion heating is not advised as a primary heat source in hard water areas for education estate applications where delivering reliability is an essential business demand.

Scale of the problem
Approximately 65% of the UK mains water is classed as ‘hard’ due to the presence of calcium. When ‘hard’ water is heated the calcium precipitates out of the solvent as calcium carbonate, clumping together and attaching to the hottest surfaces as limescale. Within a water heater, limescale will typically form on the heat exchanger or heating element.

Variation in heat exchanger types impact the formation of scale. A direct electric immersion heater aggravates the formation of scale due to the temperature and intensity of the heating element, whereas a heat exchange coil or tube typically exhibits a much lower surface temperature and comparatively less scale formation.

These larger heat exchangers also have a greater capacity to expand and contract, causing scale to flake off as it forms, avoiding detriment to the heat exchanger. Electric immersion heaters with close, tight bundles of rods also expand and contract, but some scale cannot fall clear, becoming trapped in the rods and damaging the element.

Where limescale forms and remains on the heat transfer surface, because it is non-conductive, the surface becomes insulated leading to overheating of the element or heat exchanger. Over time this will cause it to rupture if the heat cannot be dissipated. For electric immersion hot water systems scale formation can happen in hard water areas in as little as six months so should be a major concern.

It is common for protection from limescale formation to be provided by a vigorous cleaning regime, but this option carries both a cost and system downtime that is not acceptable for many school buildings. For this reason, an approach which minimises formation of scale, reducing the need for cleaning, is more advantageous.

For many education sites neither a water softener or a scale inhibitor provides a satisfactory response, whether because of space, maintenance, downtime, or cost. Water softeners require regular maintenance, which if neglected cancels all benefits, and scale inhibitors do reduce scale formation, but do not replace the maintenance regime, nor provide enough protection to ignore possible scale formation. A better option for these sites would be to replace the immersion heaters with a low limescale forming hot water system.

The case for using an electric boiler
An electric boiler, such as the Adveco ARDENT, heats water using immersion heaters located in a small tank within the boiler housing rather than directly installed into a hot water tank. This creates a sealed ‘primary’ loop to an indirect coil in the cylinder, eliminating the common problems of direct electric heating.

The electric boiler heats the same water continuously so there is only a small, finite amount of scale in the system which will not damage the elements. The heat exchanger in the cylinder is a large coil operating at a relatively low (80°C) temperature. Extensive experience with indirect coil use in the UK has shown that scale is not usually a significant problem in these systems. The electric boiler operates at the same efficiency as an electric immersion heater (100%) and so the only overall difference in system efficiency is the minimal pump electrical consumption and a negligible amount of heat loss in the pipework.

An electric boiler hot water system will take up a little more space than an all-in-one electric cylinder, but it has more versatility and requires less clearance for the cylinder. Similarly priced to an immersion heater, an electric boiler system can cost slightly more due to the small amount of additional installation work. But with the cylinder forming significantly less scale, vastly improving reliability and drastically reducing maintenance demands, operational and maintenance savings will quickly offset any additional capital costs.

The electric boiler additionally offers a level of redundancy that is not achieved with a single immersion heater. Scale formation is significantly reduced to a level that scale control can be adopted or not, depending on other building fittings and equipment that may benefit from it.


www.adveco.co

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BRINGING DAYLIGHTING AND NATURAL VENTILATION TOGETHER

As specifiers look to improve the energy-efficiency of their projects through the greater use of natural light and effective ventilation strategies, leading product manufacturer Passivent can help streamline the process with its Litevent Airstract® rooflight ventilation system.

Suitable for installation on flat or low-pitched roofs, Passivent’s Litevent Airstract has been specifically developed to reduce energy demands in commercial buildings by combining controllable natural ventilation and natural daylighting functions in one unit.

Manufactured from robust aluminum, the unit’s thermally insulated upstand minimises heat loss and its triple skin polycarbonate glazing is available in a clear, diffused or bronze finish.

By enabling controllable ventilation with minimal energy consumption and reducing reliance on artificial lighting, Passivent’s Litevent Airstract is ideally suited for use across a variety of sectors particularly educational and community buildings, where the need to save on both operational carbon emissions and costs is vital.

The unit is resistant to driving and deluge rain, includes a 4mm insect screen in the cowl and is also available in a range of shapes and sizes, including square and rectangular options, offering greater flexibility in terms of designing daylight and ventilation geometric free areas.

With almost 40 years’ experience Passivent can offer a range of technical resources and support to specifiers at early design stage, helping them to achieve the best possible natural ventilation and daylighting strategy and ultimately creating better buildings and healthy spaces.

CLICK HERE to find out more

OR  call 01732 850 770

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Go to the wall to minimise energy costs, maximise floor space

As schools face a 100% increase in their energy bills (1) , Gilberts is proposing a cost-effective retro-fit way to address the cost whilst improving the educational estate’s carbon footprint and sustainability for the long term.

 

The UK’s leading independent air movement specialist has a solution that is recommended by the Department for Education (2), that ventilates and heats, and costs less than £8/classroom/year to run! (3)

 

The solution is Gilberts’ MFS stand-alone, hybrid ventilation solution. Essentially a natural ventilation unit that can operate solely on fresh air, it includes a quiet, low energy fan to supplement airflow only as conditions demand (such as the recent heatwave).

 

Installed through the external façade or window (or the rooftop), Gilberts’ MFS mixes ‘used’ internal and fresh external air to ventilate the internal space providing free cooling with heat recovery and no risk of cross contamination.

 

A mixing damper within modulates airflow to allow the new, fresh air to mix with the warm exhaust air, thus extracting its heat without the need for an exchanger. The integrated low energy fan energises to blend the internal air, ensuring an even distribution of airflow, controlling CO 2 levels without stratification. The smart Mistrale Control Unit (MCU) gives individual, automatic room control, requiring no occupier input to maintain the comfort levels within.

 

Each MFS unit can be accessorised with an LPHW coil to temper the air to provide Covid compliant ventilation without compromising the internal temperature, or filter boxes to control NOX and other pollutants (F2-7 or F7+).

 

Integrated into the heating system- including heat pumps- Gilberts’ MFS can utilise the warmth generated from LPHW systems to warm or cool the internal space as needed without the need for radiators and all associated ancillary capital costs. By using the MFS for heating there is no need for radiators, further freeing utilisation of the internal space.

 

Free night cooling is standard; a boost mode enables the air within the space to be “purged” for fast redress of air quality and temperature.

 

As a solus ventilation unit, MFS costs as little as £5/room/year at current tariffs to operate. Using it as the means of room heating adds just £2.19/room/year meaning a total ventilation and heating bill/classroom of just £7.19 pa.

 

Its sustainable credentials are further enhanced by its design: the MFS range attains air leakage better than legislative requirements – 5m 3 /HR/m 2 , and a U value of 1W/m 2 /°C. As with all Gilberts’ ventilation solutions, it delivers efficient weather performance via its bespoke louvre system (up to Class A). MFS has also been engineered to minimise embodied carbon.

 

MFS has already been proven to help achieve BREEAM Excellent (3) , contributing points towards Energy and Health & Wellbeing.

 

MFS is cost effective to install, requiring no ductwork. It is therefore quick and easy to retro-fit.

 

Observes Ian Rogers, Gilberts’ Sales Director:

“MFS helps simplify the complex issues school management teams are facing balancing the books as energy prices soar. In one unit, it delivers a highly cost-efficient, sustainable option,creating an internal environment that enhances the health & wellbeing- and therefore productivity- of staff and pupils.”

CLICK HERE to find out more about MFS

 

References

(1) www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/ps63k-month-bills-soaring-energy-prices-hit-schools

(2) Building Bulletin 101

(3) At current tariffs

(4) Oceansgate Plymouth

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Gilberts “ticks the boxes” in more ways than one…

Two into one does go with advancements to Gilberts’ natural ventilation accessories in line with changes to Building Regulations and guidance. Its latest Series VN-S unit not only addresses noise attenuation into the internal space but is also fully non-combustible.

 

The Series VN-S range of acoustic silencers for natural ventilation provide sound reduction with a choice of five depths (from 100-600mm) between 19- 49dBA, depending on unit size and further influenced by the degree of open free area (from 30-50%). The units can be fitted in air intake and air transfer applications. Thus external noise and/or noise nuisance/breakout between spaces is minimised. Tested to BS EN 10140-2 2010, the silencers are fully compliant with BB93 for acoustics within schools.

 

Importantly for any public or commercial building using natural ventilation, the Series VN-S is also fully non-combustible. This delivers compliance with the latest Building Regulations Approved Document F 2021, particularly with the Guidance’s interaction with Building Regulations Approved Document B. It can therefore form a key part of fire rated transfer applications when used in conjunction with approved fire, intumescent or smoke dampers.

 

“We’re all aware of the growing drive to reduce carbon emissions, and thus the growing specification of natural ventilation in buildings,” says Jonathan Haslam, Gilberts Managing Director. “Building services designers are all too aware of the need to balance those drivers with other considerations, including noise and fire. As the UK’s #1 independent air movement specialist, it is right that we are at the forefront of enhancements that enable designers to ‘tick all the boxes’ as efficiently as possible and have the tools to specify, as easily as possible, a strategy that is Regulatory compliant and delivers an internal environment that optimises occupant productivity and enjoyment.”

 

CLICK HERE for full technical details of Series VN-S

 

Founded 60 years ago, privately owned Gilberts is unique in having its own, on-site (85,000ft2) manufacturing facility, producing engineered solutions, with an in-house test centre. Technical expertise is supported with full in-house testing addressing air movement and combining with computational fluid dynamics CFD).

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Helping create the ideal learning and working environment

Helping create the ideal learning and working environment for creative talent

 

Manchester Metropolitan University’s new £35m SoDA (School of Digital Arts) Building aims to create an ideal learning venue for digital creatives. Gilberts Blackpool is helping deliver the most appropriate environment within.

Built by Kier Construction with M&E services provided by Dodd Group, the four-storey centre provides production studios, digital innovation laboratories, editing suites, music and sound studios, which prompted complex ventilation criteria.

In designing the ventilation strategy for the facility that is fully air-conditioned via air source heat pump technology, Dodd Group had to balance attenuation of noise to varying levels as low as 20dBa, minimisation of heat loadings from the array of computer equipment within, whilst creating compliant supply and extract of air without hot or cold spots in spaces varying from single person offices through the café, toilet and changing facilities to seminar rooms.

Gilberts worked closely with Dodd Group throughout the process, beginning at the design stage to support with technical considerations.

To achieve the necessary reduction in background ventilation noise levels, Gilberts proposed using larger diffusers than would normally be used to achieve ventilation within the given spaces.

Gilberts’ GHV double deflection grilles and GSF omni-directional circular swirl diffusers supply air throughout the building. Both GSFR standard swirls and GSFA premium swirls, in matt black or pure white finishes, were utilised to provide alternative visual appearances to compliment the interior design. With their horizontal distribution of supply air they achieve higher air change rates than conventional diffusers, thereby helping moderate heat gain.

Additional GSFRs plus GECA eggcrate grilles extract the used air on all levels.

Gilberts’ SX and GX air valves supply and extract air from the toilet, shower and changing facilities on each floor., and the Changing Places accessible toilet

The combination of Gilberts’ diffusers ensures correct indoor air quality for the 1000 students annually that Manchester Metropolitan University predict will graduate from SODA.

“Sustainability was central to the M&E services, including air source heat pumps, LED lighting, and photovoltaic panels. Gilberts’ location in the North West- the same region as SODA- added synergy to the sustainable message,” explained Dodd Group Project Manager Will Tatterton. “Gilberts offers unrivalled technical support and has the manufacturing expertise to be efficiently able to create specials for particular project requirements. The company was invaluable in its assistance, supporting us in delivery of this high quality installation.”

 

The Manchester Metropolitan University SODA Building is one of numerous higher education facilities which benefit from Gilberts’ grilles and diffusers, including University of Liverpool’s Regius Chair chemistry laboratory and Rotblat lecture theatre, and the Harper & Keele Veterinary School.

Gilberts is recognised as the UK’s leading independent air movement specialist, offering grilles, louvres, and diffusers for natural, hybrid and mechanical ventilation. Founded 60 years ago and still family-owned and directed, Gilberts Blackpool is unique in its ability to develop components, be it ‘mainstream’ or bespoke- entirely in-house, from initial design through tooling, production, testing and supply, at its 8825m2 manufacturing facility.

Its state of the art test centre, designed and built in-house, is one of the most technically advanced in the country.

 

GILBERTS BLACKPOOL WEBSITE

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The intrinsic link between heating and indoor air quality

By Jonathon Hunter Hill – Sector Manager for Education, SAV Systems.

 

Inflation is at a 40-year high. The price of energy has doubled. Minimising heat loss in schools should be the name of the game. But schools present a particular challenge: 60 m2 rooms with 32 occupants, and a requirement to achieve a daily average CO2 concentration of less than 1000 ppm, all whilst maintain good indoor air quality and thermal comfort.

When energy was plentiful and cheap, the simple solution (although negating thermal comfort) was to open the windows and flood rooms with fresh air. When our buildings were not airtight, this natural ventilation methodology made sense. But minimising heat loss through the building fabric is one of the first steps any building operator must take.

To maintain good indoor air quality in classrooms, we need approximately 6 air changes per hour. Each one of those air changes would be accompanied by a great deal of heat. In a year, a natural ventilated classroom designed to meet the criteria of BB101 could use as much as 5,000 kWh/year of energy to ventilate and heat the room. In moving towards net zero, this has to be cut.

The Passivhaus Trust, in their own research, has found that mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) not only uses the least energy in comparison to other options, but also achieve the best indoor air quality. In a typical classroom, the energy consumption for heating and ventilating the room with decentralized MVHR should be approximately 500 kWh/year – a 90% saving.

How does MVHR achieve such good indoor air quality? A heat exchanger is designed in such a way that the air pathways between the supply air to the room and extract air from the room do not interact. There is no air recirculation or recycling because heat is recovered through the heat exchanger. As such, CO2-laden air is replaced with fresh air, instead of recirculating that air to conserve the heat.

Decentralised MVHR is always demand controlled, meaning that fan speed is linked to a measure of indoor air quality – typically room CO2 concentration. Consequently, indoor air quality can be closely controlled whilst minimising heat loss, and maximising thermal comfort.

 

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

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Supporting your specification – ventilation expert Passivent launches new website

Natural and hybrid ventilation solutions manufacturer Passivent has launched a brand-new website. With almost 40 years’ experience, Passivent provides a comprehensive range of sustainable and energy efficient ventilation systems to help improve air quality, boost natural daylight and remove moisture.

 

Working with specifiers on a range of projects across the education, general commercial, healthcare and leisure sectors, Passivent has designed its new website to support the specification process and help clients identify the most appropriate ventilation solution for their projects.

 

The new website features an easy-to-use search function so clients can find specific products such as roof ventilation terminals and window and wall ventilators, or identify solutions for a range of ventilation strategies.

 

From schools and nurseries to retail and leisure outlets, Passivent’s extensive product range provides effective solutions tailored to fit multiple sectors. The new website is packed with sector-specific information as well as a host of completed projects offering best practice examples across different building types.

 

The website has been designed to support Passivent’s in-house technical capabilities and provide potential clients with a wealth of information and resources including design support, commissioning and servicing and more – creating a one stop destination for every stage of a project.

 

To find out more please visit www.passivent.com.

 

 

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Promote Hand Hygiene in School Washrooms with the Modern XLERATORsync® System

As anyone who has stepped into a school washroom knows, students can leave quite the mess—leaving paper towels on the floors and standing water pooled on the counter. At Excel Dryer UK, we have worked hard to combat unsanitary conditions like these by providing touchless, high-speed and hygienic hand dryers to all types of facilities. But we don’t just stop at wall-mounted hand dryers: we’ve combined one of our innovative hand dryers along with soap and water in a single washbasin for a hygienic, intuitive and unified experience with the new XLERATORsync® system.

 

An all-encompassing hand hygiene solution with a cutting-edge design, the XLERATORsync system features our touchless XLERATORsync® Hand Dryer along with a motion-activated faucet and soap dispenser on a custom washbasin manufactured from HI-MACS® Natural Acrylic Stone. This sink system is the product of modern design innovation that will lead to cleaner and more hygienic washrooms, as users wash and dry their hands all in one location without ever having to touch the system.

 

Working behind the scenes in the sink system is a HEPA filtration system that is proven to eliminate 99.999% of viruses and 99.97% of potentially present bacteria at 0.3 microns from the airstream. That means that the XLERATORsync system is not only promoting proper hand hygiene but is also actively creating a cleaner restroom environment.

 

The XLERATORsync system comes equipped with adjustable speed and sound controls, adjustable heat settings and a patent-pending sound suppression and air delivery system.

 

There is no such thing as a standard system size, as everything is manufactured to order. In addition, the XLERATORsync Hand Dryer can be coloured and branded however you want—even the natural stone washbasin can be finished in 112 different colours.

 

If you are a school facilities manager who is looking to elevate your school’s restroom

by retrofitting it with our hygienic XLERATORsync system,

CLICK HERE and reach out to us today

 

 

 

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Air sampling and testing for SARS-CoV-2 in a real-world science experiment

The COVID-19 pandemic saw many schools closing their doors for extended periods, causing real disruption to children’s education and an underlying fear of contagion for families and the wider community. Michelle Jensen, Superintendent at the Deerfield Community School District, Wisconsin, USA, talks about opening her school after lockdown. She explains why she decided to install a Thermo Scientific™ AerosolSense™ Sampler as an ‘early warning system’, helping to keep students safe by identifying airborne virus particles possibly before symptoms appeared.

Deerfield Community School District is a small community comprising one elementary and one high school, with a combined total of approximately 735 students.

As the superintendent, Michelle oversees all the educational programmes, facilities and daily operations of the district – from early childhood through to the twelfth grade – and, more recently, including the management of COVID-19 infection.

Michelle explained: “During the pandemic, I participated in a routine county meeting in which Professors Shelby and David O’Connor from the University of Wisconsin presented their research on SARS-CoV-2 using the Thermo Scientific AerosolSense Sampler coupled with PCR testing. They wanted to find schools that would participate in a project using this device, so I leapt at the opportunity. This air sampler is designed to deliver timely and highly reliable insight into in-air pathogen presence, allowing communities to confidently monitor air quality and maintain the overall health of public buildings.”

Educating students in real-time – hypotheses to results

AerosolSense Samplers were placed in high traffic areas – in a stairwell of the elementary school and in the high school hallway.

Michelle took the opportunity to involve the children themselves in the whole project from the start as the samplers were easy to implement and use, and involved simple workflows that were not as tasking as some might think. “Engaging children in science is a fantastic thing to be able to do, so I asked high school students and a sixth-grade class in the elementary school to sign up as volunteers to get involved. The pupils were excited and generous with their time, making a stop on their way to lessons in the morning and ensuring that the cartridge was taken out at the end of the day. They also had a call with one of the scientists from Thermo Fisher Scientific, who went into great detail, describing how the highly sensitive machine works and how air particle information is collected.”

Clear communication of these activities and the results obtained from the samplers was key, not just to pupils, but also to individuals in the wider community, as it made it easier for them to accept and adapt to any school-related changes that might be enforced. Michelle added: “The families of the students have been extremely happy, both with the extra surveillance, and with the children actively participating in the science in which we live. At the outset, we were testing twice a week and being completely transparent about the findings with the staff, students and their families, also reporting the results at the board meeting every two weeks. We had negatives for a very long time but, when the Omicron variant began to become prevalent in late December 2021 to early February, there was a surge in positive cases, even in a fully masked environment. More recently, I’ve been happy to see that we’ve been getting negative cartridges.”

Infection control and awareness

 

“Overall, we found that getting data from the AerosolSense Samplers allowed us to effectively inform pupils and their families – some of whom may be vulnerable – when someone in the community was testing positive, so that the appropriate precautions could be taken. Our student tracker was closely monitored to identify any symptomatic individuals if we had positive cartridges, and parents calling in sick children were strongly encouraged to get tested, whether by PCR or rapid test, as this was a clear indication of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the air. The AerosolSense Samplers provided close to real-time validation of the presence of SARS-CoV-2, which the school nurse found helpful when monitoring the illness tracker and talking with families.”

Ultimately, AerosolSense Samplers can identify high risk areas where there is higher transmission and, by doing so, it is possible that only individuals who were in the affected location need to be tested. This could help to reduce testing costs and, rather than shutting down the whole school, only those who have tested positive for COVID-19 can be sent home, lowering the risk of transmission.
The future of air sampling innovations

As we now hopefully emerge from the pandemic, much of the population is fully vaccinated, and it is no longer mandatory to routinely test. However, with the threat of new variants on the horizon, as well as other debilitating infections that can cause mayhem in vulnerable communities, an early warning surveillance that flags new outbreaks would be very valuable, and the experiences of Deerfield show just how easy this is to implement.

 

Michelle concluded: “Being involved in this project has given us a massive opportunity, and I am curious to see how communities like ours will be able to use this technology to monitor their environments in the future, whether for detecting new emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 or for a broader array of respiratory illnesses.”

 

www.thermofisher.com/aps

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