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#25: COVID Creative

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#25: COVID Creative

Sharing creative ways to design one of the tools in our virus-fighting arsenal

Bryn Robinson
Sep 22, 2022
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#25: COVID Creative

brynphd.substack.com

Recently, I built a Corsi-Rosenthal (CR) box for our house. If you’re unfamiliar with the CR box, it’s a homemade air purifier that can remove a significant number of viruses, allergens, and other beasties from the air we breathe. The design was created by Richard Corsi and Jim Rosenthal, and has sparked a beautiful wave of DIY science and engineering, especially when we engage students in their design and construction.

The Corsi-Rosenthal Box that helps clean the air in my home.

Why bother? Well, my house is older, and we don’t have any built-in air filtration system. The days are getting longer and colder, so keeping the windows open with fans isn’t comfortable, and my husband and stepkids have all returned to classrooms.

As the number of inhaled viruses or aerosol particles that contain the virus increases, the probability of infection increases…If it is inhaled it can deposit in the respiratory system. Period. Your immune system does not care what pathway it took to get there.

Richard Corsi, The Dose Makes the (risk of) Infection

And why does this matter? Although we are all vaccinated and boosted, we are still at risk for breakthrough infections and thus infecting others who may be more vulnerable than us:

A breakthrough infection is an infection with a virus, bacterium or other germ after you have been vaccinated. This is an expected occurrence for a small percentage of those receiving any vaccine, since no vaccine for any disease is 100% effective in preventing infection in every person who receives it.

Drs. Lisa Maragakis and Gabor David Kelen, Breakthrough Infections: Coronavirus After Vaccination

Plus, I’m enjoying not having had a cold that then morphs into a sinus infection, bronchitis or pneumonia in 2.5 years. I like being masked so I can lip synch to the soft rock piped through the grocery store sound system, without numerous questioning looks from passerby. More importantly, if doing a few small things like a mask indoors or getting a needle can help others from getting sick, why wouldn’t I?

But I look at my CR Box, and wish it was…I dunno, prettier? The white tape I used blends well with our decor, but there are people on the interwebs who are showing up. So if you’re interested in building one, but want more pizzazz, here’s a few examples to spark your own creativity.


The floral touches of Sarah’s CR Box are making me question my design choices.

Twitter avatar for @sarahdorner
Sarah Dorner @sarahdorner
Our 12 year old’s weekend DIY project: a 5 filter Corsi-Rosenthal box with foam legs to raise it off the floor and a silk peony to decorate the center.
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9:32 PM ∙ Sep 5, 2022
1,226Likes160Retweets

But then there are times I wish I fed my love for absurd comedy, and made it into a delightful creature, or knitted it a cozie:

Twitter avatar for @amandalhu
Amanda Hu @amandalhu
Fits right in, almost as if every classroom should have one…
Classroom with white walls, blue door, brown wood floor and foam block flooring. A bulletin board hangs on the wall with months and colours. Green coloured air filter with googly eyes sits on floor
7:02 PM ∙ Sep 6, 2022
3,876Likes352Retweets
Twitter avatar for @ms_butterfly03
Stephanie 🌻 @ms_butterfly03
@jaxPYL You can share pictures along with the info. The corsi rosenthal box would likely take up the same amount of space as a desk chair, which isn't much. These are pics found from Twitter posts of what people have in classrooms.
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12:11 AM ∙ Sep 9, 2022
3Likes1Retweet

And although I am almost 41, a robot or elephant would make me smile when I came into the room each time:

Twitter avatar for @gf_traveller
Gluten Free Traveller (Text ACT to 644-33) @gf_traveller
Piggie and Elephant will be helping to #cleantheair in second grade classrooms to keep students and teachers safer and breathing cleaner air! So fun making them too!! #CovidisAirborne @CorsIAQ @JimRosenthal4 @The_Pigeon #corsirosenthalbox
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8:01 PM ∙ Sep 14, 2022
591Likes113Retweets
Twitter avatar for @Wendy4SD
Wendy Wheatcroft, MEd ☮️ @Wendy4SD
@kprather88 you’ve got to see this! These were donated to a friend’s class in San Diego schools! #CorsiRosenthalBox 🤖
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2:37 AM ∙ Sep 9, 2022
780Likes156Retweets

Or I could have fed my love of architecture and made it into a famous landmark:

Twitter avatar for @Hartford_Public
Hartford Public Schools @Hartford_Public
5th graders at @nwmmshartford got a hands on #STEM lesson from @uconnhealth today. As part of the Indoor Air Quality Project, they built and decorated their own air filters! The filter that looks like the White House will be delivered to the @WhiteHouse & @FLOTUS! #STEM #WeAreHPS
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7:32 PM ∙ Sep 8, 2022
152Likes58Retweets

Or perhaps a design to honour the spooky season?

Twitter avatar for @LariBowen
Lari @LariBowen
Our #CorsiRosenthalBox is ready for Halloween! Big Thanks to @eshonborn Our teens found his art online & we drew the likeness of his Count Von Count! 😎 Awesome Air Quality Experts! Schematics/data/videos, Big 🧠 @CorsIAQ @JimRosenthal4 @kprather88 @linseymarr @CleanAirCrewOrg
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5:17 AM ∙ Sep 18, 2022
16Likes5Retweets

Sss

Twitter avatar for @CRBoxKits
Alex 💨CR Boxes Everywhere @CRBoxKits
The Wall #ALPanel
7:06 PM ∙ Sep 21, 2022
47Likes4Retweets

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#25: COVID Creative

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4 Comments
Mark Dykeman
Writes How About This
Sep 22, 2022Liked by Bryn Robinson

Of course I zeroed in on the lip syncing part... good work Bryn!

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1 reply by Bryn Robinson
Rebecca Holden
Writes Dear Reader, I'm lost
Sep 25, 2022Liked by Bryn Robinson

Wow, Bryn: amazing job! I'd never heard of this piece of kit but gosh, that's something to look into for sure! :D

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