I would say, the solution for all such pandemics is a technical upgrade of the Air-Body-Barrier. To whatever virus there might come in future we would need a proper filtering of all the air you breath whenever you are around people.
Not by masks or anything we know today, but I imagine something like tiny but sealing noseplugs. And those plugs filter all the air you breath for an electrical support of what our vibrissae are not able to do anymore. One way to do this (and i am no expert here) could be a sterilisation by uv light as the air flows into your nose.
There would be many engineering problems on the way, as you would need to make individual passforms, low battery-Issues, people with a cold needing to breath through their mouth. But on the plus side you could ask people to speak less (loud) in public for health reasons.
I don’t think it’s a matter of “mild pandemic” it’s more a matter of people being severely disorganized and people not wanting to do anything strange and do what other people are doing.
But why are people still disorganized and think that wearing effective protection is strange? If the mortality rate was a lot higher (like 50% or even 10%) and killed younger people (including children) at roughly the same rate, do you really think that this attitude (here’s a glaring example) would still exist? I highly doubt it.
In Germany they make us believe it is quite a medium to severe pandemic. i agree that there is a cost benefit analysis everybody is doing before buying/using such a device. But for me personally i would rather use permanent something like this (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/WoodyKnows-Super-Defense-Nasal-Filters/dp/B00DKX15G2) than wearing a mask whenever entering a building.
If the policy makers really thought that this was anything other than a mild pandemic, they’d advocate (and probably mandate) for everyone to wear effective PPE. What is actually happening is that most of them (with a few lukewarm exceptions like California) are telling the public NOT to wear potentially more effective PPE. This was the case even after the PPE supply was replenished and before vaccines were widely available. Now that relatively effective vaccines are available, there’s even less incentive for this policy to change.
Even in Germany, almost everyone seems to be wearing masks with ear loops. That kind of mask doesn’t provide adequate protection, because ear loops don’t have enough tension to provide an adequate seal between the skin and the mask. Regardless of rhetoric, official policies and public behavior indicate that almost no one really thinks this is a severe or even a medium-threat level pandemic.
I tired nasal filters a long time ago and found that they restrict breathing too much. Also, I’m not sure how effective the seal would be.
I would say, the solution for all such pandemics is a technical upgrade of the Air-Body-Barrier. To whatever virus there might come in future we would need a proper filtering of all the air you breath whenever you are around people.
Not by masks or anything we know today, but I imagine something like tiny but sealing noseplugs. And those plugs filter all the air you breath for an electrical support of what our vibrissae are not able to do anymore. One way to do this (and i am no expert here) could be a sterilisation by uv light as the air flows into your nose.
There would be many engineering problems on the way, as you would need to make individual passforms, low battery-Issues, people with a cold needing to breath through their mouth. But on the plus side you could ask people to speak less (loud) in public for health reasons.
Highly speculative, i know.
Stuff like this (respirators and maybe even helmets with UV-based filtering) that can end any pandemic already exists.
The problem is that there seems to be little motivation to use these things during a mild pandemic like this one.
I don’t think it’s a matter of “mild pandemic” it’s more a matter of people being severely disorganized and people not wanting to do anything strange and do what other people are doing.
But why are people still disorganized and think that wearing effective protection is strange? If the mortality rate was a lot higher (like 50% or even 10%) and killed younger people (including children) at roughly the same rate, do you really think that this attitude (here’s a glaring example) would still exist? I highly doubt it.
In Germany they make us believe it is quite a medium to severe pandemic. i agree that there is a cost benefit analysis everybody is doing before buying/using such a device. But for me personally i would rather use permanent something like this (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/WoodyKnows-Super-Defense-Nasal-Filters/dp/B00DKX15G2) than wearing a mask whenever entering a building.
How strongly do those inhibit breathing?
If the policy makers really thought that this was anything other than a mild pandemic, they’d advocate (and probably mandate) for everyone to wear effective PPE. What is actually happening is that most of them (with a few lukewarm exceptions like California) are telling the public NOT to wear potentially more effective PPE. This was the case even after the PPE supply was replenished and before vaccines were widely available. Now that relatively effective vaccines are available, there’s even less incentive for this policy to change.
Even in Germany, almost everyone seems to be wearing masks with ear loops. That kind of mask doesn’t provide adequate protection, because ear loops don’t have enough tension to provide an adequate seal between the skin and the mask. Regardless of rhetoric, official policies and public behavior indicate that almost no one really thinks this is a severe or even a medium-threat level pandemic.
I tired nasal filters a long time ago and found that they restrict breathing too much. Also, I’m not sure how effective the seal would be.
More effective PPE require more training in their use.
The training is minimal.
When you wear it for a day. For longer periods one also needs to be trained to take care of the PPE. Cleaning, storage, retc.
Half the population have IQ less than 100. You are going to set up training stations or the PPE will fail soon for a large percentage of population.
Mild soap and water can be used to clean the seal, and that’s it. Anyone can do that without any special training.