We need PAPRs. DIY Viral Helmets are a big way forward.
There’s been a lot of focus on better masks, double masking, and N95s. There’s a better option, and that’s PAPRs. Filters are 99%+. More importantly, there are no significant leaks because fans generate positive pressure. Unfortunately, they normally cost about $2000.
Makers have worked on many cheaper versions for COVID. The Stanford pneumask “snorkel mask” is under $50. The Hoodie Viral Helmet I worked on is about $15 at scale and open source. BunnyPAPR.org has a $30 version aimed at hospitals. A few dozens of other ones can be found on google.
- Better filtration with hospital-grade filters. [1]
- And no leaks.
- You can also see the whole face.
The biggest “downside” is that they aren’t familiar and look “weird”. Doctors on reddit have reported being chastised for wearing PAPRs or having PAPRs taken away. [2,3] It’s sad that we could solve the pandemic for under $50 a person, but people don’t want to try different and new things.
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MORE DETAILS
More info: http://viralhelmets.com
The NYT article (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/style/are-astronaut-style-face-shields-the-future-of-ppe.html) interviewed many, including doctors, who were similarly dismissive.
References:
[1] https://www.pneumask.org/filter-table
[2] Patients don’t like PAPRs? — https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/iw3w6s/patients_dont_like_paprs/
