What participation entails for schools, students and parents

Background 

The Air Purifier Study is conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and SINTEF. In this study, we will investigate whether air purifiers in classrooms can help protect students and teachers from colds and similar airborne illnesses. Air purifiers and air quality sensors will be installed in participating classrooms during the autumn/winter of 2025/ 2026 or 2026/ 2027, and they will be switched on during lessons in the winter of 2025/ 2026 or 2026/ 2027.

Why are we conducting this study?
Different viruses can spread easily in classrooms. Experience from the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important it is to find effective ways to keep schools open while protecting students and teachers from infection. Air purifiers can remove viruses from the air and may therefore make school safer and healthier for everyone. We are conducting this study to find out whether air purifiers reduce transmission among students and teachers sufficiently for them to be considered a health-promoting measure.

Information for schools

For schools, participation will involve having air purifiers and air quality sensors installed in selected 7 grade classrooms (or, where applicable, grade 5 or 6 classrooms). We will ask to receive aggregated and anonymous class-level absence data from school’s own absence recording systems.

Teachers’ absence data will be collected through questionnaires completed by teachers who have consented to participate. Even if the school participates in the project, it is entirely voluntary for teachers to receive questionnaires.

We would like a contact person at each school to check that air purifiers are operating normally and notify the project group of any irregularities. Apart from this, the study will not involve any additional work for school staff.

Information for students

For schools, participation will involve having air purifiers and air quality sensors installed in selected 7 grade classrooms (or, where applicable, grade 5 or 6 classrooms) and will be set to different operating levels. Air purifiers will generally be switched on during teaching hours throughout the three-month study period.

We will measure air quality in all participating classrooms and collect data on student absence every week. We will then investigate whether there are differences between the different levels of air purification.

It is important that nobody interferes with the air purifiers. Tell your teachers if they are bothersome, for example because of noise or draughts.

Information for parents/ guardians

If you have been informed that your child’s classroom is participating in the study, air purifiers and air quality sensors will be installed in the classroom. Air purifiers will generally be switched on during teaching hours throughout the three-month study period.

The study will collect data on classroom air quality and obtain aggregated absence data from school’s own absence recording systems. The study will not involve any changes to the timetable, and students will not be asked to complete questionnaires or similar activities. No individual data will be collected.