Apparently, teachers and students should fear more than COVID19 upon return to long empty school buildings, at least in this Virginia school district. After months of remote learning, everyone looked forward to Sherwood Forest Elementary returning to in-person learning. Upon returning, many teachers found disturbing environmental conditions and experienced concerning health symptoms. With obvious water leaks and multiple reports of respiratory symptoms, many are concerned that the aging building may be filled with mold.
Staff had reported respiratory and other symptoms in 2019 but the district took care of roach and rodent problems while waiting on funding to rehab this and several other district schools for aging facilities. While waiting for the bigger project to take place, some mold remediation was done with post work air testing showing air quality better than the outside of the buildings. Despite this assurance many teachers continued to report symptoms when working in the building. For many the symptoms resolved while out of the building for remote learning but resurfaced upon in-person classes resuming.
Given what we know about mold allergies and toxicities, we can guess that the teachers are experiencing a mix of the two conditions. For many, the mold allergens can trigger asthma and sinus symptoms. For some with reported symptoms like arms going numb, there may be toxins contributing to their symptoms.
Given what we know about air quality testing, they are likely overlooking mold toxins that are being constantly inhaled by the building occupants. We also know that simply replacing wet insulation and water-stained ceiling tiles followed by floor cleanings will leave behind dangerous mold allergens and mold toxins.
I hope the teachers and children in this and other schools get attention and help. The long-denied reality of mold toxicity by the insurance and medical worlds borders on criminal. Between the masks, the social distancing, and the fear of mold’s health effects, these teachers and students have far more than COVID to fear. In fact, COVID is the least of their worries and parents should not stand for this anymore.
Thanks to Sara Gregory and the Virginian-Pilot for bringing this to our attention. Accessed April 21, 2021. Released on Yahoo News April 14, 2021. https://news.yahoo.com/norfolk-teachers-school-still-making-150800321.html
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
