CES unveiled COVID-19 mask gimmick arms race

Millions of people in the United States began buying face masks in 2020, and, of course, companies were in a hurry to take advantage of the surge in demand for new products. In CES 2021, mask gadgetization was fully visible.Leading the pack was Razer’s transparent sound amplifier and light-up. Concept mask.. AirPop Active + smart mask, Monitors the user’s respiratory rate and alerts the user via the smartphone app when the mask filter needs to be changed.Vinatone MaskFone It has a built-in earphone and a microphone for calling.

Turning a mask into a status symbol is nothing new, nor is it making money from a disaster. Prior to the pandemic, people wore masks to protect them from air pollution, and they are Chinese and Indian fashion items. Also, before the pandemic, companies that made masks advertised for that purpose had begun to enter the US market. At last year’s CES Ao Air Announcing the $ 350 Air Pollution Control Gadget.

A technical mask to protect against COVID-19 is not necessarily a bad thing. Health officials are doubling the message to cover your nose and mouth as incidents soar across the country, and a thorough review of the scientific evidence released this month, once again, The mask works.. Razer said The Verge If we decide to manufacture and sell masks, we will work with medical professionals.The concept mask is dangerous Warning-against As for the exhalation valve, Razer says the mask has a filter that blocks the virus that the wearer exhales.

However, the gimmick arms race does not always enhance the effectiveness of the mask. You need a better mask for everyone, as well as a stylish product for affordable people.In the United States, almost a year after a pandemic, most people I’m still wearing a cloth mask, This is better than nothing, but it’s not the best way to block the virus. Cloth masks were considered a temporary gap before authorities were able to expand the production of medical grade masks, but they did not happen. Meanwhile, Taiwan distributes high-quality masks to its citizens, and Germany demands N95-equivalent masks at its stores.

Without federal action on masks, people would have to find and buy masks themselves. It is difficult to determine which provides the best protection, as there are no good standards for cloth masks.There is a counterfeit medical grade mask everywhere Country.It’s a crowded, confusing area and gadgets quarrel for space beside Slap bracelet With a mask ..

“We regularly get good new solutions and PR pitches for snake oil treatments, but it can be difficult to distinguish between them. How the public evaluates competing claims. Are you supposed to do it? ”Zeynep Tufekci and Jeremy Howard Written in Atlantic..

To combat a pandemic, the United States needs effective masks distributed as a public health service. Instead, all kinds of masks are seen and sold as commercial products. The companies that sell light-up masks haven’t caused this problem, and if the flash helps someone wear it, it’s a win. But these flashy contributions only highlight how far we still have to go before we can simply and effectively protect everyone.

This is what else is happening this week.

the study

The future of coronavirus?Annoying pediatric infections
After the pandemic is over, new research suggests that COVID-19 can gradually become more like a child’s cold than a fatal illness. With a vaccine, that change can happen quickly. (Apuorwa Mandabili, New York Times)

Do you have an ICU bed? The number of deaths from Covid-19 is expected to double.
The risk of death from COVID-19 is not static. It depends on the quality of care your doctor can provide. When the intensive care unit is full, people are more likely to die of illness. (Julia Bells, Vox)

Covid-19 has the highest number of deaths ever, and highly infectious variants can make things worse.
The new coronavirus strains that are gaining ground in the United States are less deadly, but more contagious. Anyway it’s a horrifying scenario: a faster spreading infection still means more deaths. (Andrew Joseph, Statistical news)

development of

If you and your friends are vaccinated, can you stop the social distance?
Vaccination is not a free pass to behave as if the pandemic is over, but once the people around you start getting vaccinated, your life will begin to return to normal. The transition will be gradual until the pandemic becomes globally established. (Seagull Samuel, Vox)

J & J’s one-shot Covid vaccine is safe and produces a promising immune response in early trials
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is in the next pipeline, with early data showing that a single dose can provoke an immune response. The company needs to release data on its effectiveness later this month. (Berkeley Love Race Junior, CNBC)

Outlook

After months of careful isolation, I’m angry that a chaotic day may have made me sick. I’m angry that some of our country’s leaders didn’t want to deal with the little annoyance of masks for hours. I am angry that the attack on the Capitol and the subsequent illness are the same cause. It means that Republican colleagues cannot accept the facts.

— Congressman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) writing Washington post After a positive COVID-19 test following the parliamentary riots.

More than a number

For more than 93,604,952 people worldwide who test positive, the path to recovery may be smooth.

For 2,003,885 family and friends (390,809 in the United States) who have died around the world, your loved ones will never be forgotten.

Everyone, please ensure your safety.