During the COVID-19 pandemic, public officials brought renewed attention to indoor air quality in schools.

在新冠肺炎大流行期间，政府官员再次关注起来学校室内的空气质量。

Improving ventilation and airflow was considered a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases.

改善通风和气流被认为是防止新冠肺炎和其他疾病传播的一种方法。

In January, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said indoor pollution can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels.

今年1月，美国环境保护局(EPA)表示，室内污染可能比室外水平高出两到五倍。

The agency said children face higher risk from indoor pollutants like asbestos, mold, radon, and methane.

该机构表示，儿童面临更高的室内污染物风险，如石棉、霉菌、氡和甲烷。

They also face pollution from particulate matter, like vehicle exhaust or wildfire smoke, which can enter classrooms from the outside.

他们还面临着颗粒物污染，比如汽车尾气或野火烟雾，这些颗粒物可以从外面进入教室。

The EPA said climate change has made safe indoor air quality more important.

环保局表示，气候变化使安全的室内空气质量变得更加重要。

Pollutants can lead to a number of health problems for children if they breathe them for a long period, the EPA said.

其表示，如果儿童长时间吸入污染物，可能会导致一系列健康问题。

Health effects might include coughing, breathing diseases, allergic reactions, asthma and cancer.

对健康的影响可能包括咳嗽、呼吸系统疾病、过敏反应、哮喘和癌症。

The agency said there are several ways to maintain healthy indoor air quality.

该机构表明，有几种方法可以保持健康的室内空气质量。

These include controlling pollutants, ventilating outdoor air, and maintaining temperature and water in the air, or its humidity.

这些措施包括控制污染物，通风室外空气，保持空气中的温度和水分，或空气的湿度。

A 2022 international study published in the Journal of Building Engineering said thousands of American schools have outdated HVAC systems.

2022年发表在《建筑工程杂志》上的一项国际研究称，数以千计的美国学校的暖通空调系统已经过时。

HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

暖通空调代表供暖、通风和空调。

A 2020 study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office said that nine percent of school districts needed to fix "environmental conditions" like mold, lead, or asbestos in at least half their schools.

美国政府问责局 2020 年的一项研究表明，9% 的学区至少有一半的学校需要修复霉菌、铅或石棉等 "环境状况"。

Indoor air quality might affect school performance.

室内空气质量可能会影响学校的效果。

Some studies say that a healthy school environment lifts attendance, increases test scores and improves learning.

一些研究表明，健康的学校环境可以提高出勤率，提高考试成绩，改善学习。

A study of 10,000 school districts from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that decreased pollution in schools led to higher test scores.

国家经济研究局对1万个学区进行的一项研究发现，学校污染的减少会提高考试成绩。

Many schools have not taken steps to improve ventilation although research suggests it is important.

许多学校还没有采取措施改善通风，尽管研究表明这很重要。

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had recommended four ways to improve ventilation in schools.

在新冠肺炎大流行期间，美国疾病控制和预防中心提出四种改善学校通风的方法。

They included simple changes like opening windows and using fans to maintain airflow in buildings.

这些措施包括一些简单的改变，比如打开窗户和使用风扇来维持建筑物内的气流。

Costly recommendations included replacing HVAC systems, using in-room air cleaners, or installing ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) devices.

昂贵的建议包括更换暖通空调系统，使用室内空气净化器，或安装紫外线杀菌照射(UVGI)设备。

Scientists and public health leaders pushed school districts to use federal pandemic emergency money for ventilation systems.

科学家和公共卫生领导人敦促学区将联邦大流行应急资金用于通风系统。

But a 2022 CDC study of over 8,000 school districts found that about half had taken any of the four recommendations.

但2022年疾控中心对8000多个学区进行的一项研究发现，大约一半的学区接受了四项建议中的任何一项。

That few districts had taken steps to improve air quality shows "the ongoing opportunity to improve indoor air quality among K–12 school buildings in the United States," the authors of the study wrote.

研究报告的作者写道，很少有地区采取措施改善空气质量，这表明 "美国 K-12 学校建筑的室内空气质量仍需改善"。

The aid money expires this fall.

援助资金将于今年秋天到期。

In January, the EPA announced $32 million in grant funding to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases at schools in poor communities.

今年1月，美国环保署宣布拨款3200万美元，用于减少贫困社区学校的空气污染和温室气体排放。

Non-profit organizations and state governments could apply for the grants, which are expected to be awarded this fall.

非营利组织和州政府可以申请拨款，预计将于今年秋天发放。

The EPA said the program was part of a set of policies from President Joe Biden's administration.

环保局表示，该项目是乔·拜登政府一系列政策的一部分。

The money came from the Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress in 2022.

这笔钱来自国会2022年通过的通胀削减法案。

In the announcement, EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe said: "EPA is working with our partners to...Improve air quality and energy efficiency."

在声明中，环境保护局副署长珍妮特·麦凯布说：“环境保护局正在与我们的合作伙伴合作...以提高空气质量和能源利用效率。”

I'm Dan Novak.

我叫丹 · 诺瓦克。