CO2 Monitors Available To Borrow For Free In Local Libaries

According to Peterborough Public Health (PPH), residents can borrow a CO2 Monitor at any library in Peterborough City, County and Hiawatha First Nation, effectively immediately.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

In March last year, Peterborough Public Library in collaboration with PPH, —supported by devices donated by Prescientx and CO2 Check — was the first library in North America to offer CO2 monitors as part of their Library of Things lending catalogue.

As a result of cooler temperatures and rainy weather, people spend more time gathering indoors. An increased risk of spreading and acquiring respiratory illnesses stems from being indoors more often. Respiratory illnesses like RSV, Influenza and COVID-19 can be transmitted through the air we breathe according to PPH. Carbon dioxide (CO2), the air we exhale, can be monitored and used to indicate the quality of the air we breathe.

“As we enter cold and flu season, carbon dioxide monitors are one tool we can add to our suite of tools to help us stay healthy; CO2 monitors can act as a proxy for determining whether a space has adequate ventilation and fresh air,” said Keith Beecroft, PPH health promotor.

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