CAN WE AUDIOPHILES DO OUR PART?


So we're all tired of hearing about nothing but Covid-19 (or, as I term it, the C-Plague). What can we do, as audiophiles, to help with all this.
I was amazed, and delighted, when I went to the Cardas website to see that they are doing their part. Go to their website and you'll see their director, Angela Cardas, wearing a mask. If you click on the Cardas Nautilus logo in the upper left corner, you'll see pictures of people there in the factory making masks with sewing machines. I called the company to congratulate them, and spoke with a woman named Darla, who said it was their way, during this economic slump, to keep their employees working and also their way of trying to "do our part."
I'm not writing all this to advertise Cardas products. They are a very good company, but trust your ears, not anything I write, when it comes to buying their products. They do get credit, however, for helping me come to a realization that pushed me in the right direction. I called a woman I am friends with, who is 85 years old and is a good seamstress, to suggest she start making masks. She already was--and is. By phone she has organized several other women to do the same, and right now they are needing more material and elastic. I managed to gather about 50 pounds of material and am starting to gather elastic while also getting more material. But I don't sew. I can't help out with that. Any ideas as to what we--all of us who are good with our ears and focused with our budgets--can do to help out in other ways?

I realize this is an odd topic to bring to an audio forum, but it was a very socially responsible audio company that got me to thinking about it, and frankly I believe I should be socially responsible enough to do what I can to get other people to thinking about it. While also being open to other people's ideas about ways someone like me who is "just an audiophile" can help.

Thank you, in advance, for any and all ideas on this.



baumli
"...is masks are effective at either preventing the spread of COVID-19 to others or preventing the wearer of the mask contracting the virus why are the numbers of cases and deaths not (rpt not) going down?"
If you could rephrase it to "if masks are not effective at preventing transmission of the virus, why are the numbers of infected hospital workers not higher?"

A little trivia. Out of around 2000 hospital employees tested in a heavily Covid-19 affected hospital, number of positive results was lower than in a random general population of the same community. Was it masks, face shields, too small of a sample, or an underground river flowing in the area?
To make this light discussion a little more useful.

If anyone is seriously interested in protection, this is the one to get...

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Versaflo-Heavy-Industry-PAPR-Kit-TR-300N...

It is a good deal on this website, but wait time is a bit long. Maybe good enough for a "second wave", if it ever comes? Otherwise, you may need to pay a bit more.

https://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/3m-versaflo-tr-300n-hik-powered-air-purifying-respirator-heavy-...

In any case, the thing works.
For a joke I showed up at my local Coffee shop
wearing my track helmet and racing gloves.
Stating " now is this enough protect for you!!
Coffee shop owner said it made his day in these tough times!
I don’t wear a mask except when the store I enter requires it. And except for bad pollen days. I practice strict social distancing, not the half ass social distancing you see a lot of, which is the best way to avoid the virus. And don’t touch anything anywhere if you can help it. The virus is still spreading so risk is going up with each passing day. That’s another reason why masks are a bad idea - they instill the False idea in many people that social distancing is not important any more. Masks are generally required or suggested because there are so many asymptomatic people walking around, not to protect you. As Bob Dylan is fond of saying at the end of all his records, good luck to everyone! 🤗
Maybe they don't think much where you are geoffkait, but I have not experienced anyone who thinks a mask is magic protection, and if anything people in masks tends to be more "aware" ...it's a constant reminder.  This concept that people will treat it like "magic shielding" is conjecture, but with safety equipment, people generally don't treat themselves as invincible. Look for studies on it in general. Often it creates higher awareness of risk.  This was the same stupid argument people made about seat-belts believe it or not. Detractors claimed that seat belts would make people drive worse because they would feel invincible. Obviously, that never happened.