No proof poor air quality triggers COVID school outbreaks: Roberge

No COVID -19 outbreak in schools can be linked to poor air quality, Quebec Education Minister Jeanfrançois Roberge said Thursday.

Parents can trust the ventilation measures in place, Premier François Legault added.

Roberge and Legault made the comments after the airing of a report by Radio-canada that found numerous irregularities in the air quality tests carried out by the Education Ministry. The report said that in three tests out of five, the testing protocol tended to improve the results, reducing the carbon dioxide measurement in a classroom.

The controversy has been fuelled — among others — by opposition calls for the installation of air purifiers or air exchangers.

“Today, we know one thing, 61 per cent of the cases, of the tests that have been carried out have been tampered with,” Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy said during question period at the National Assembly.

“Absolutely not, I do not share this finding,” Roberge said Thursday morning in Quebec City.

Although Roberge admitted the tests were not perfect, he said the methodology had been established by experts and that contrary to what has been reported, the protocol was followed — even if a window was open.

“We have to take tests that reflect the normal situation in the classroom,” he said.

Asked whether poor air quality had contributed to COVID-19 outbreaks in schools, Roberge answered: “I have no evidence to support this.”