Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 23, 2020 Malden school buildings feature newly updated HVAC equipment In COVID-19 era, air filtration is a key factor in health and safety By Steve Freker T here is not a whole lot that could be said to have “gone right” in 2020, which will forever be recognized as the start of the COVID-19 era. But there were some fortuitous moments, and one of them involved the Malden Public Schools district, which earlier this year marked the completion of some extensive updates and additions to the school buildings’ heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. Ward Five School Committee Member Adam Weldai recalled these capital improvements when he asked about it in a question to Superintendent of Schools John Oteri at a recent School Committee meeting. While many districts are scrambling to update and adapt their older HVAC systems to protect their staff and students from airborne COVID-19 transmission, Malden’s public school buildings had already completed extensive overhauls of their equipment in the latter part of 2019 and earlier this year. Most HVAC improvements done before COVID “Many of these updates were done before COVID was present. Some were already in place dating back to last year,” Supt. Oteri told the members of the Malden School Committee at their last meeting. “Malden High School and the Early Learning Center [ELC] had major HVAC A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 Same Location * Same Service for over 48 Years... Thanks to our customers for their support ! The MERV-13 air filters that have been recommended for installation in school and office buildings nationwide to combat the spread of COVID-19 were already in place in Malden Public School buildings before the pandemic began in March. (Courtesy Photo) overhauls. We are very happy about that and we are in very good shape.” Since that meeting, as of Chris Dan Steve OPEN AND READY TO SERVE YOU...GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE MASK REQUIRED! * Desktop Humidors * Gift Cards * Bongs * Travel Humidors * Vapes * Juice * Cigar Accessories * Lighters & Ash Trays * Glass Pipes * Rewards Program * Juuls * CBD Infused Products GOLFER’S SPECIAL 15 Cigars - 4 Year Old Tobacco - Handmade - Individually Wrapped Only $43.95 HUMIDOR SPECIAL Travel Humidors Starting at $25.00 Desktop Humidors Starting at $48.00 Buy any Box of Perdomo cigars and get a Perdomo Lighter - $25.00 value - FREE! Box Special Buy any Box of Cigars and get your choice of a Tin of Mini Cigars - Romeo & Julieta - Red - White - Blue - 1 Tin per Box! “Free Cigar” Marked Green Label “Free Cigar” - Buy 2 Cigars marked with a Green Label & get another cigar marked with a Green Label FREE! Daily Special STORE HOURS 8 AM - 8 PM Mon. - Sat., Sun. 8 AM - 6 PM We Now Offer For Your Eating Pleasure “UBER EATS” Convenient Delivery Service Bianchi’s Pizza and Renzo’s Full Menu To Go Open for Takeout for Bianchi’s Pizza and Renzo’s Food 381 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere 781-284-5600 October 13, a limited number of students have returned to in-person learning in the Malden Public Schools, right around 200 districtwide, and Supt. Oteri said one of the reasons this was possible was the safe condition of air filtration in the buildings. Another positive factor in the air filtration systems now in place is that Malden school buildings are now all equipped with one of the highest density forms of HVAC filters, known as MERV-13. MERV-13 air filters installed in Malden schools The MERV-13 filters have been deemed highly-recommended by public health agencies for use in large, indoor spaces, such as school buildings, to fight the airborne spread of coronavirus. This had led to a rush of demand for the MERV-13 filters since over this past summer and a subsequent shortage. The Minimum Efficiency ReHVAC | SEE PAGE 13
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