Today's Indo piece👇 Probably the most important article I've ever written. The battle to protect children from forced, repeated SARS2 (level 3 biohazard) infections in school feels like the fight of my life. They can't consent to this harm. They rely on their parents to withdraw consent on their behalf.
A child (Cara) re-lived her trauma in the hope that parents & "people in power" would read her story & take steps to clean indoor air in classrooms & make schools safe for all children to access their right to education without foregoing their right to health, safety, life & that of their family.
Special thanks to Cara (an alias of her choosing), to Dr Ciara Steele & Sinéad O'Brien for founding a vital clean air in schools campaign. Huge thanks also to Tom Coogan & The Independent for handling Cara's story with the utmost integrity🙏
Extract:
"The UN Convention on the Rights of a Child requires states to “recognise the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health” and to fully implement this right. Children’s rights to education include a safe environment not harmful to their health.
Cara and her parents fought for these rights. They were denied, with devastating consequences. Irish schools are legally obliged to clean indoor air and prevent the spread of airborne diseases. Prevention plan? Three Hail Marys.
In year five of an airborne pandemic, parents, Dr Ciara Steele and Sinéad O’Brien set up Clean Air Advocacy Ireland.
Dr Steele said: “Children are vulnerable, they rely on adults to advocate on their behalf. They have a fundamental right to breathe clean, pathogen-free air in schools. That means CO2 monitors, Hepa filters and ventilation in every classroom.”
A recent study in Finland found air purifiers in day-cares led to a 30pc reduction in children’s illnesses. In March 2022, Italy’s Marche region installed mechanical ventilation in some schools, reducing Covid infections in classrooms by 82pc"
And👇
"Early in the pandemic, some children showed negligible Covid symptoms, only to later develop organ failure.
Researchers found the children’s immune systems had latched on to a part of the coronavirus that closely resembles a protein found in the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes and GI tract and launched a catastrophic attack on their own tissues. “Experts” who claimed asymptomatic paediatric Sars2 infections equals mild were catastrophically wrong".
And👇
"Education Minister Norma Foley previously committed €62m for Hepa filters in Irish schools. Where are they?
WHO advice is clear – protect yourself and loved ones from Covid. Stay home if sick, test, get boosted, ventilate, wear a mask when around others. Unless parents are prepared to say “We do not consent to repeatedly exposing our children to biohazardous Sars2 in schools”, our consent will be presumed tacit".
Thanks to Dr Ziyad Al-Aly & so many covid aware advocates for amplifying Cara's story🙏