Costco & Essential Workers need Viral Helmets. But they probably won’t get them.
Those are pictures of Viral Helmets above. We can give them to every essential worker in America, like those at Costco who just got sick.
- They cost as little as $30.
- They have a fan and are more comfortable.
- And they filter much better than masks… like 100X-1000X better.
- But they still aren’t getting any attention…. read more below
Context
First, some context. America is supposed to be doing better. We’re mostly wearing masks. We all know the CDC’s 6ft rule. But the virus keeps spreading. We are doing a lot, but it’s not enough.
And now we hear that Costco (yes, Costco!) in Washington state (where the precautions are high) had over 145 staffers infected before they caught on. Costco is doing all the “right things”. They aren’t mask deniers. Across all Costcos, masks are mandatory. Lots of distancing. Plexiglass shields. Yet, if Costco can have a 145 staffer outbreak, what does this say about schools, other grocery stores, restaurants, etc?
It means we are doing a lot, but it’s not enough. There are probably hidden risks or super infectious people / situations we aren’t accounting for.
(NOTE: some think it was probably poorly ventilated break rooms. I hope we find out.)
Give Essential Workers Viral Helmets
Costco workers, I think you might want viral helmets. (Full details on what they are at viralhelmets.com) I want viral helmets for all essential workers (who skew to lower incomes and people of color, according to the Brookings Institute). A viral helmet gives you full protection with hospital-grade filters.
In fact, I have a few dozen viral helmets I’d be happy to give away to anyone who can use them. Especially essential workers. I’ve been trying to save lives with viral helmets for 6 months now and we won a UCSF COVID innovations competition. But we haven’t been able to get people interested.
I think that businesses can pay and provide this essential equipment to employees. But at $30, it’s cheap enough that a worker can just buy it themselves and bring it in. It’s so promising, but there’s a snag.
Why it’s not as easy as just buying one and wearing one
Over those 6 months, there are two big things we learned about what’s stopping viral helmets.
The first big roadblock is the employers: they can legally stop you from wearing the mask you want. In fact, early on, some grocery stores didn’t allow their employees to wear mask because they didn’t want to scare customers. Now, some are suing for wrongful death.
So, now, no employer will stop you from wearing a mask. But they can stop you from wearing the mask you want. Or at least discourage you from wearing anything “too different”, like what is below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDwHBZBAMTW/
So, you’ve got two choices.
Option A: Wear a normal looking mask, which can be excellent but often has leaks. (See this review of mask leaks using the #SweetNLowMaskTest).
Option B: Wear something that is really protective, like a full face respirator. But look weird for being safe.
Essential workers: it’s your life and health; shouldn’t you get to choose how protected you are? Well, apparently, you don’t get to choose. I’ve heard reports from people who are being told they can only wear “regular masks” and not anything “extreme”. So your employers are a big part of the problem.
The second issue: people themselves don’t want to look weird. So, until it becomes more normal, people aren’t going to wear viral helmets or better masks. In some ways this is vanity. In some ways peer pressure. But the end result is the same, you probably don’t want to wear one.
Everyone makes different choices
I’m going a little too far saying that people won’t wear viral helmets. Most people won’t. But at the same time, some will wear them because they want to be extra cautious. A colleague who regularly wears a bunnyPAPR was begged by someone to sell it to them, since they had to fly on an airplane in a few days. And several kickstarters have raised $300,000+ for viral helmets.
So, if you are an essential worker, I hope you look out for your safety. In fact, I think the choice of mask is the only thing that essential workers can possibly choose for themselves. That is, if their bosses don’t stop them.
None of those 145+ workers at Costco thought they’d get sick. But all of them did, and probably from work.
Yes, they were careful. Yes, they wore masks. But in the end… we are doing a lot, but it’s not enough.
Stay safe, everyone.
(Aside: I think there is a higher need for a employee mask choice law to protect the choices of employees than there is a need for a mask mandate, when 20% of people just don’t cover their nose.)
