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Clean Air Emergency: Viral Surge + Wildfire Smoke Q&A Expert Forum featuring 5 speakers

“Clean Air Emergency: Viral Surge + Wildfire Smoke,” a MaskTogetherAmerica Q&A Expert Forum on Feb 7, featured Dr. Richard Corsi, Dean of the College of Engineering at UC Davis; Liesl McConchie, expert on learning and co-author of best-selling book Brain-Based Learning; and Dustin Drury, former TV producer turned clean air advocate of Clean Air LA. The speakers discussed government regulations on building codes, free mitigation tools, clean air advocacy and building grassroots mutual aid communities – all essential to protect people from breathing unhealthy air.

Dr. Angelique Corthals, Scientific Advisor of MaskTogetherAmerica, gave an introduction. Founder Julie Lam made a special announcement about the Protect Firefighters Initiative, in response to firefighters needing PPE to keep them safer during the clean-up of the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles.

The initiative is cosponsored by Lam and two American Medical Manufacturers Association members– Claudio Dante, cofounder of Dentec Safety Specialists, and Eddie Phanichkul, CEO of Lutema and Vida, co-founder/V.P. of the American Medical Manufacturers Association (AMMA). This MaskTogetherAmerica initiative pledged to the LA Fire Department an in-kind donation worth over $15,000, providing highly protective elastomeric respirators with P100 Multiple Gases/Vapor Filter Cartridges. For the announcement and discussion of firefighters’ needs, the advocacy group invited the two proud members of AMMA to join the Q&A sessions, which were emceed by MaskTogetherAmerica’s Clean Air and Mask Ambassador Christina Auriana.

Watch recordings on YouTube.

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Health Justice Toolkit by MaskTogetherAmerica

A pandemic that has destroyed millions of lives is supposed to be a guiding light to prevention policies for a new normal moving forward, but this needed cultural transformation will not happen without rising resistance to authoritarian leadership.

MaskTogetherAmerica’s Health Justice toolkit aims to provide assistance to people in the U.S. who want to take action to fight discrimination and inequity in health care. In this toolkit, you will find templates for letters that you can send to your congresspeople on matters regarding health equity, our right to safe access to healthcare, and related issues. You can use the basic templates and add in other evidence, or any relevant personal points. No effort is too small. Each email, phone call, and hand-written letter helps! Change starts with every one of us!

Get the Toolkit

Double Emergencies: Viral Surge + Wildfire Smoke Expert Forum

To learn about what needs to happen in the U.S. to reduce the impact of viral surges and wildfire pollution on public health— watch our Jan 19 Q&A sessions with Dr. Omer Awan, MD MPH CIP (Senior medical contributor of Forbes), Babs (Organizer of Mask Bloc LA, Airgasmic LA and Clean Air Los Angeles), and Aaron Collins, aerosol engineer, the Mask Nerd.

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Protect Firefighters Initiative

MaskTogetherAmerica launched a “Protect Firefighters Initiative” after seeing some LA firefighters battle urban wildfires without mask protection from the toxic air

Cancer, heart disease and mental health disorders are top causes of death among firefighters after exposures to toxins, carcinogens, poisonous smoke, gases and particulates during fires and the cleanup afterwards. Firefighters need protective equipment that won't restrict mobility, and is wearable for long hours.

We reached out to the American Medical Manufacturers Association to seek their collaboration. We are grateful that two AMMA members have generously matched the funding from our Founder Julie Lam—Eddie Phanichkul, CEO of Lutema/VIDA and co-founder of the AMMA, and Claudio Dente president of Dentec Safety Specialists president of Together, we are offering to the LA mayor’s office and the Board of Supervisors a donation of 780 Comfort-Air® 400 series Elastomeric respirators with P100 Multiple Gases/Vapor Filter Cartridges, valued at over $15,000. This respirator/filter combination protects against acid gases, ammonia, chlorine, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen sulfide, methyl amine, organic vapors, sulfur dioxide, chlorine dioxide, formaldehyde, and hydrogen — within the recommended exposure levels for half mask respirators.

We are hoping to provide each of the 34 stations of LA firefighters involved in the major ongoing fires with another valuable option besides SCBA specialized respirators attached to heavy oxygen tanks, which only last for 30-45 minutes.

We hope this educational initiative inspires more firefighters to use breathable, lightweight and highly protective elastomeric respirators. We also hope people—when they see firefighters wearing PPE— will start to avoid exposure to wildfire smoke and wear N95 or P100 respirator masks. Role-modeling is an effective educational tool. And we hope in this crisis, that more American manufacturers will donate respirators and protective P100/gas filters to the firefighters and all the people working or living in severely polluted areas.

Clean Air Emergency: Viral Surge + Wildfire Smoke Feb 7, 2025 4:30-7:50PM EST

MaskTogetherAmerica Expert Forum

The U.S. is facing a CleanAir emergency due to a viral surge and wildfire smoke. Join our 2/7 expert panel Q&A: Dr. Richard Corsi, Liesl McConchie, Dustin Drury Clean Air LA. Register here and submit questions in advance!

4:30PM EST Dr. Richard Corsi discusses affordable tools to combat unhealthy air amid climate change.

5:30PM EST Liesl McConchie talks about advocating for clean air in schools.

6:30PM EST Dustin Drury explores grassroots movements for air filtration and masking in LA.

7:20PM EST Special Announcement by American Medical Manufacturers Association members (Eddie Phanichkul, CEO, Lutema/VIDA and Claudio Dente, President/CEO, Dentec Safety Specialists Corp.) supporting MaskTogetherAmerica’s “Protect Firefighters Initiative.”

Dr. Richard Corsi, Dean, College of Engineering, UC Davis, tweeted in Aug. 2020, in response to SARS-CoV-2, his concept of an affordable DIY air purifier using a box fan to pull virus-laden air through filters. His friend Tex-Air Filters CEO Jim Rosenthal duct-taped 5 filters to a box fan and proved that idea highly effective, greatly increasing airflow. Corsi–Rosenthal Boxes were born!

Liesl McConchie, a learning expert and co-author of "Brain-Based Learning," advocates for cleaner air in schools to protect health and cognition. She co-founded the CA Alliance for Clean Air in Schools, focusing on improving air quality through education, legislation, and regulation. Liesl has been a strong proponent of CR Boxes and has organized school events to build them..

Dustin Drury, former TV producer turned clean air advocate. He & volunteers from Clean Air LA table daily at Amoeba Music, distributing free clean air tools & teaching people on Hollywood Blvd how to wear a respirator. In tandem with other community groups, CALA volunteers have been building Corsi Rosenthal boxes and distributing them and other PPE across LA. CALA started in 2024 to provide tools to mitigate covid but have since grown due to wildfire air quality.

Register here and submit questions in advance!

Register Here

MaskTogetherAmerica was featured in Forbes for its “Protect Firefighters Initiative

Read Protecting Your Health From The Risks Of Wildfire Smoke by Dr. Judy Stone

Dr. Judy Stone highlighted MaskTogetherAmerica’s “Protect Firefighters Initiative” in her newest coverage about health threats from Los Angeles wildfires and public health/ mutual aid communities providing PPE and tools such as CR Boxes to clean the air.

She highlighted serious health risks from inhaling carcinogens, toxic ashes, gases, lead, and harmful fine particles in the air, and called for role-modeling.

According to the article, firefighters have a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer, and are 72% more likely to die by suicide. Yet some LA firefighters don’t wear masks. Dr. Stone noted that bandanas are firefighters’ most common choice of respiratory protection according to a 2023 study.

Moved by this crisis, MaskTogetherAmerica started a “Protect Firefighters Initiative” and forged a partnership with members of the American Medical Manufacturers Association Two AMMA members decided to match the funding from Julie Lam founder of MaskTogetherAmerica —Eddie Phanichkul, CEO of Lutema/VIDA and co-founder of the AMMA, and Claudio Dente, president of Dentec Safety Specialists . Together, they have offered the LA Mayor’s office and the LA County Board of Supervisors a donation of 780 Dentec Comfort-Air® 400 Elastomeric respirators with P100 Multi Gas/Vapor Filter Cartridges (valued at over $15,000).

We hope this initiative will inspire other American manufacturers to emulate us and donate elastomeric respirators with P100+MGV filters to firefighters and all people working or living in severely polluted areas.

Read the Story

Double Emergencies: Viral Surge + Wildfire Smoke A webinar hosted by MaskTogetherAmerica

Date: January 19th Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM EST Location: Online Webinar Register Here

Agenda:.

7:00 PM EST: Dr. Omer Awan, MD MPH CIP Topic: Why do we need to avoid exposure to poor air quality indoors & outdoors? Discussion: Health care implications of air quality.

8:10 PM EST: Babs, Organizer of Mask Bloc LA Topic: How grassroots organizations provide free masks & air purifiers in response to wildfires in LA Discussion: Community-driven solutions to air quality challenges.

9:00 PM EST: Aaron Collins, Mask Nerd, Aerosol Engineer Topic: How to reduce exposures if you cannot avoid them Discussion: Urgent clean air & PPE strategies.

Speaker Bios:

Dr. Omer Awan is a senior contributor for Forbes and a practicing radiologist in Baltimore, MD. He writes about healthcare and public health issues and serves as a Professor & Vice Chair of Education at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Babs is an artist and organizer of mask drives in Los Angeles. She became an advocate for clean air and mask distribution after experiencing medication shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a member of Mask Bloc LA, Clean Air Los Angeles, and Airgasmic LA.

Aaron Collins is a mechanical engineer specializing in aerosol science. Known as the "Mask Nerd," he tests and evaluates masks, sharing his findings widely. His work has been featured in major media outlets, and he is a co-founder of OpenAeros, focusing on clean air solutions.

Registration is required to join this important discussion on how to protect our health from circulating pathogens and wildfire contaminants. Watch the recording if you miss it.

Register Here

Potential Disaster of Mpox and Mask Bans Makes the News

Forbes medical contributor interviews MaskTogetherAmerica Advisor Dr. Angelique Corthals about the dangers of mpox and mask bans

Dr. Judy Stone, infectious disease MD and medical contributor to Forbes, spoke to MaskTogetherAmerica Advisor Dr. Angelique Corthals for her article “Mpox And Mask Bans - A Recipe For Disaster”. Dr. Stone explained that a new, fast-spreading type of mpox (clade1) can kill up to 10% of infected people. Over 70% of cases and 85% of deaths are children under 15, suggesting clade1 may be airborne as well as spread through respiratory droplets or very close contact. On August 14, WHO declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.

Dr. Corthals, COVID expert and associate professor at CUNY, told Forbes that since clade 1 is more virulent and infectious, we need to use non-pharmacologic interventions (NPIs), like masks, to reduce the spread. Dr. Corthals stressed “that no mode of transmission be dismissed” by implying it’s only through sexual contacts or only skin to skin because Mpox may turn out to spread in multiple ways.

At recent hearings, Dr. Corthals warned Nassau County (NY) legislators about the ongoing spread of COVID and new pandemics from avian flu and mpox, but the county’s ban on mask use in public and private spaces was signed into local law on August 14. Dr. Corthals said mask bans are “robbing us of the main tool to prevent not just this pathogen, but also novel pathogens that are coming our way thanks to climate change.”

Dr. Stone’s piece highlights reasons why all infectious disease experts – and everyone else – should help Stop Mask Bans! See our Action Toolkit to speak up and stay informed! Our toolkit has ways to fight back and get involved, including open letters to sign, ways to contact government officials, and more!

Action Toolkit

Patient Advocacy Groups Press CDC to Implement Inclusive COVID-19 Isolation and Prevention Guidelines

CDC Engages in Discussion on How to Protect High-Risk Communities with Pan End It!, MaskTogetherAmerica and Long COVID Justice

Leaders of Pan End It!, MaskTogetherAmerica, and Long COVID Justice met recently with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials to discuss urgent recommendations on COVID-19 isolation and prevention guidelines. In our meeting and letters to the CDC, we expressed deep concerns about the CDC’s March 2024 Respiratory Virus Guidance which has abandoned most recommendations for isolation, testing, and masking. We stressed that a science-based strategy is vital to protect people who are disabled, immunocompromised, or otherwise medically vulnerable; workers; students; and everyone (in recognition that Long COVID is common among people with no specific prior vulnerabilities). Together, we will continue to demand that the CDC set appropriate recommendations in light of recent infection levels, including the growth of H5N1, and establish a better foundation for public health in the future. Read our joint press release.

Read the Press Release

Nassau County Mask Ban Advances in New York

The Mask Transparency Act would be the first mask ban in NY since the pandemic, but we don’t have to give up!

The Nassau County Mask Ban in New York, which would set fines for masking at up to $1000, has advanced. If the Mask Transparency Act is passed, it will become the first mask ban in NY since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Candice Ferrette covered the legislation for Newsday. Ferrette included a quote from MaskTogetherAmerica advisor, Dr. Angelique Corthals, a biomedical researcher and professor at John Jay College, who explained that “banning masks is not actually an efficient crime-fighting tool” and pointed out that sunglasses do more to conceal identity than health-related masks.

It’s not too late to fight back and there’s lots you can do! Vacationers who travel to the area can reach out to Nassau County Tourism and share concerns about the unwelcoming signal this sends to high-risk visitors. Those already in the area can attend the The Nassau Mask Ban Hearing on 08/05 where the Nassau County Legislature will vote on the Mask Transparency Act.

Please see our Action Toolkit to speak up and stay informed! Our toolkit has even more ways to fight back and get involved, including open letters to sign, ways to contact government officials, and more!

Action Toolkit

Airborne Aerosols 1O1 Expert Forum

Don’t miss MaskTogetherAmerica’s upcoming expert forum to learn about the importance of clean air

MaskTogetherAmerica will hold a free expert forum on July 25th from 6pm to 9pm EDT. The forum will discuss airborne aerosols, COVID infection, and how to stay safe.

6:00pm: Dr. Allen Haddrell, Aerosol scientist from Bristol University Ambient CO2 concentration correlates with SARS-CoV-2 aerostability and infection risk. A risk analysis discussion.

7:00pm: Dr. Angelique Corthals, SARS-CoV-2 Biomedical Researcher and Associate Prof. at City University of New YorkHow to protect each other from common airborne diseases? A pandemic response discussion.

8:00pm: Aaron Collins, Mechanical Engineer with a background in aerosol science Let's clear the air on COVID: A clean air discussion (3rd Round)

Registration for this free event is now open!

Here are links recording of the event for those unable to attend on Facebook and YouTube.

Watch on Facebook    Watch on YouTube

USA TODAY ARTICLE ON MASK BANS

MaskTogetherAmerica Founder Julie Lam spoke with USA TODAY about the danger of mask ban legislation

Eduardo Cuevas interviewed MaskTogetherAmerica founder Julie Lam for this USA TODAY article about the mask bans popping up around the US. The article raises concerns about the serious implications of mask bans being initiated by leaders in states like NC, CA, NY, and IL – even from Democrats!

Julie is deeply concerned about infection control, health equity, and civil rights and realizes the risk that mask bans pose in all those areas. In the article, Julie tells Cuevas she doesn’t need anyone other than her doctor telling her how to protect her health and that it is nobody else’s business, especially not the police. It’s a free speech issue, a civil rights issue, and a public health issue!

As Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University states in the article, the last thing we want is to “inhibit one of the options that public health has to reduce the impact of pandemics in our population.”

Be sure to read the entire USA TODAY article here.

View the Article