Indoor air quality and the COVID-19 pandemic: using interdisciplinary knowledge translation to reduce transmission of respiratory disease and improve indoor air quality in diverse community spaces in Toronto

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in community congregate settings, including homeless shelters, drop-in centres, and group homes, has historically been largely ignored by public health authorities. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded this issue, as poor IAQ can result in increased transmission. In addition, public health authorities in Ontario have not provided congregate settings with evidence-based COVID-19 IAQ guidance. The current situation has further exacerbated existing disparities and forced users, workers, and operators to make difficult decisions between receiving/providing essential services and increased risk of infection. The proposed effort addresses the lack of guidance by bringing together a multidisciplinary team of researchers and knowledge translators in partnership with a variety of agencies and individuals that operate and work in community congregate settings. Together, we will build pandemic preparedness and response capacity in the community setting in Toronto through the provision of accessible and practical IAQ guidance to reduce exposure and mitigate transmission. This guidance will address the diversity of buildings and services in the community setting, while taking into account the diversity of perspectives and power dynamics that occur across sectors and in facilities. Specific activities include developing a series of webinars; preparing evidence-based plain language IAQ guidance; authoring high-impact interdisciplinary opinion/editorial articles; training of highly qualified personnel to develop and share IAQ COVID-19 mitigation measures, and the development of a research proposal to address gaps in the evaluation, impact, and implementation of mitigation strategies. Through the process of bringing multidisciplinary researchers, community organizations and workers together, we will build a robust interdisciplinary community of research and practice to address IAQ pandemic preparedness and response in these essential spaces.