Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Westchester County. The Pelham Examiner publishes press releases in the form received as a service to the community.

(White Plains, NY) – The Westchester County Department of Health will distribute more than 5,600 air purifiers to 31 school districts throughout Westchester in October.

The Department purchased the Fellowes AeraMax Pro AM3S PC Air Purifiers, proven to remove over 99.99% of COVID-19 particles from the air, with $5.2 million in federal funding through a contract with S&B Computer and Office Products, a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE). The AeraMax Pro AM3S PC Air Purifiers are said to remove particles as small as 0.1 microns, including allergens, asthma triggers, odors, smoke and VOCs from the air. With the installation of the units in Westchester’s schools, the County can better ensure safe in-person instruction for students, teachers and staff.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “The safety of our students and school communities, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, has always been our top priority. We want to thank our partners at the New York State Department of Health for supporting this program, as well as recognize the County’s MWBE program for fulfilling the contract with a certified WBE. These 5,600 units and replacement filters will keep our schools open and safe for in-person instruction both this year and next.”

Westchester County Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said: “Air filtration is an effective part of a layered approach to reduce exposure to airborne contaminants. I am grateful to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to the New York State Department of Health for supporting our efforts to improve air quality in our schools.”

Westchester County Finance Commissioner Karin Hablow said: “I appreciate the hard work of the Bureau of Purchasing to procure these air purifiers, which will assist our school districts in keeping their students and staff healthy. Recent challenges in the supply chain have added a level of difficulty to the procurement process, so the fact that the County was able to partner with a MWBE to fulfill this order is an even greater accomplishment.”

Superintendent of Byram Hills School District Jen Lamia Ed.D. said: “Westchester Superintendents and their Districts are grateful to Westchester County and the County Executive, George Latimer, for providing our school districts with the support we need to keep children safe.”

The Fellowes AeraMax Pro AM3S PC is equipped with pre-filter, active carbon filter and H13 True HEPA filter. Independent laboratory testing demonstrated the units remove 99.99% of COVID-19 particles from the air in a single pass*. The units are equipped with sensors to measure changes in contaminants, room occupancy, and noise levels to automatically adjust to the environment, while conserving energy and reducing operating costs.  In addition, the units feature Fellowes’ patented PureView™ Technology that provides real-time status updates as the air is cleaned. Using the built-in display, students and staff can see air filtration progress, as well as a notification when the air is clean. Fellowes is an established name in air purification, with more than a decade of experience and more than 290,000 air purifiers installed in schools nationwide.