Cambridge Friends School Leads the Way for Safe School Reopening

With two weeks of in-person learning completed and a return of over 90% of students in school, Cambridge Friends School (CFS) is now beginning its installation of upper room Germicidal Ultraviolet Lighting (GUV) as part of its comprehensive reopening plan. The implementation of this antimicrobial technology is another countermeasure in the School’s mitigation efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

After several months of extensive research and planning to ensure the School could achieve its reopening goals safely and effectively, the School’s Board of Trustees and Reopening Task Force approved the installation of upper room GUV lighting in mid-September. Introduced by Salmaan A. Keshavjee, MD, PhD, ScM, current CFS parent and Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Edward A. Nardell, MD Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Division of Global Health Equity, Harvard Medical School, their experience with airborne diseases and knowledge of GUV interventions helped in the final decision-making process.

David Tierney, Head of Cambridge Friends School states, “This technology has been used for more than seventy years to prevent disease, going back to the 1940’s in Philadelphia’s Germantown Friends School to combat a measles outbreak. Friends Schools have been known to be progressive, and while historically, this lighting has primarily been used in homeless shelters and medical centers, the COVID-19 pandemic warrants its use in schools.” Acknowledging that the effects of UV-C lighting go beyond minimizing person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus, Tierney also adds, “The School’s installation of UV-C lighting will also help to limit the spread of other airborne viruses such as the common cold or flu; further prioritizing the health and safety of our community and ensuring that the School may operate at its full potential.”

Recognizing that not one single approach will completely eliminate the spread of COVID-19, the installation of this UV-C lighting is only part of a comprehensive plan at CFS which includes administrative controls and self-reporting; surface cleaning and sanitizing; physical distancing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and adjustments to the HVAC system to ensure that only 100% fresh air is introduced to classrooms.

This week, AeroMed, Inc. will be installing and commissioning nearly sixty nm-254 UV-C lights throughout CFS, with a plan for the new UV-C lighting to be fully operational within a few weeks.