CYLI, Masy lead campaign on importance of ventilation, air quality in COVID-19 response

This is a press release from Caloocan Young Leaders Initiative (CYLI).

Experts and advocates from different sectors have teamed up for a new campaign to highlight the importance of ventilation and air quality to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, especially in enclosed spaces.

Led by youth-led nonprofit Caloocan Young Leaders Initiative (CYLI) and social enterprise Masy Consultants, the campaign dubbed “Zero COVID Pilipinas,” seeks to promote safe public spaces by providing science-based solutions to improve the country’s overall COVID-19 pandemic response.

Among its objectives is to educate people about the importance of ventilation and air quality in the context of the current public health emergency, as evidenced by the latest findings of various research around the world.

“The importance of ventilation is often overlooked, but the key role it plays in COVID-19 prevention and education remains. Airborne transmission is the invisible threat that we can begin minimising, merely through improved airflow within our spaces,” said Masy Consultants Co-Founder and Managing Director Thomas Da Jose.

“COVID-19 highlights the urgency for concerted multi-sectoral efforts. Everyone has a stake in the ongoing battle to make sure science-based interventions and information are reaching the communities. We call on professional, community, faith-based,  youth, student, and other organizations to join the campaign ,” added CYLI Co-Founder and Executive Director John Paul Uminga.

One of the activities lined up for the campaign is a webinar about creating safe public spaces, the importance of ventilation, and the role of the youth and the general public in addressing the pandemic.

The event will be a special session of CYLI’s Sustainable Development Goals Conversation (SDGCon) 2021, a series of monthly webinars that aims to impart knowledge on SDGs as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. 

Titled “COVID-Proofing Communities: A Race Against the Pandemic”, the special session of SDGCon 2021  will happen on Saturday, September 25, from 3pm to 6pm.

The conversation seeks to emphasize the role of the public in battling the pandemic, in line with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals. 

Joining in the discussion are experts who will give an overview of the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines and the importance of proper ventilation to minimize aerosol transmission of the viral illness, as well as youth leaders who have mobilized communities to support the country’s response against the pandemic.

Confirmed speakers are Lei Camiling-Alfonso of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID, Jose-Luis Jimenez  of the University of Colorado Boulder, Kenneth Isaiah Abante of Tarabangan Kontra COVID – Naga, and John Carlo Borja of Sangguniang Kabataan – Calumpang and Positive Youth Development Network.

Invited government agencies and sectoral representatives will also share best practices in promoting safe spaces in academic institutions, businesses, and workplaces, among others.

The webinar is free and open for all interested individuals and organizations within and outside the Philippines. Those interested to join the webinar may sign-up here.

Organizations interested to partner with the Zero COVID Pilipinas campaign may reach out to the secretariat at zerocovidpilipinas@gmail.com or caloocanyoungleaders@gmail.com. – Rappler.com