Peterborough Public Health (PPH) announced today that residents can now borrow a CO2 monitor at any Peterborough City, County, or Hiawatha library.

CO2 monitors are a health measure that become more important around the change of seasons, as PPH Youth Development Worker Keith Beecroft says.

“Cooler temperatures and rainy weather mean that people are moving indoors at this time of year and with that, comes an increased risk of spreading (and acquiring) respiratory illnesses like RSV, influenza, and COVID-19.”

Julie Bromley, Manager of Environmental Health at Peterborough Public Health explains, “Carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors are one tool we can add to our suite of tools to help us stay healthy. CO2 monitors can act as an indicator for determining whether a space has adequate ventilation and fresh air. If CO2 levels are high, it can mean that people's exhaled breath is lingering in the room; breath that may contain airborne viruses.”

PPH first partnered with Peterborough Public Library to offer CO2 monitors as part of their Library of Things in March 2022, and the program, effective Nov. 15, is now available at all libraries in Peterborough City, County, and Hiawatha First Nation.

Bromley says that these CO2 monitors are one way we have “learned how to protect ourselves when the risk is higher,” and urges residents to consistently monitor PPH’s local COVID-19 and Respiratory Virus Risk Index.

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