Individual Preparedness for Distant Wildfires and the Delta Variant in the United States: A Survey of 2,250 US Residents
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Abstract
Background
COVID-19 virus travels in the air and collects indoors through tiny particles from exhaled breath, and remains a growing concern globally especially since case studies of vaccine breakthrough infections are being reported. Last year’s wildfires resulted in the worst air quality on record in the Western US due to toxic wildfire smoke (PM 2.5 pollution) traveling from distant wildfires and this year can potentially be even worse due to extremely dry conditions. Aerosol precautions such as high-filtration (Hi-Fi) masks and HEPA air purifiers are useful to effectively reduce inhalation of most of these toxic aerosols. Whereas the lack of fit or filtration in a mask or use of an air purifier of insufficient size (capacity) for the room can inadvertently render these precautions ineffective. Here we investigate the public’s concerns about wildfires and the COVID-19 variants (e.g. delta), their use of aerosol precautions, and whether these are being done in an effective manner.
Methods
We conducted a national survey of 2,250 US residents in order to understand public concerns about airborne threats and their usage of airborne (aerosol) precautions.
Results
We find over 66% of US residents surveyed are worried about inhaling COVID-19 and its variants, and 52% are worried about toxic wildfire particles in the air. In the mountain and pacific regions the latter rises to 73%. Only a quarter are using masks with higher filtration and high level of fit (or Hi-Fi masks e.g. N95 or similar such as elastomeric N95 or KF94). Two-thirds are still using loose-fitting cloth or surgical masks. Just over 40% of respondents report using air purifiers at home, and of this group only 40% use it in their bedroom where they sleep. Of those using air purifiers, the majority said they chose the size of their air purifier based on “most popular” models, “recommendations,” or “reviews.” However, of those using air purifiers only 42% reported doing a calculation (or using a calculator) to estimate the right size of air purifier needed for the room they are using it in. Notably, a much higher percentage of people (than average) reported use of Hi-Fi masks and home air purifiers in certain occupations such as doctors, healthcare, first responders, public safety, engineering, military, and construction.
Conclusion
National survey data suggests most US residents are worried about wildfire smoke and Covid variants (e.g. delta variant) but a majority are not prepared for it. Preparation with aerosol precautions will also be useful for future pandemics and national biodefense.
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SciScore for 10.1101/2021.07.24.21260660: (What is this?)
Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.
Table 1: Rigor
Ethics not detected. Sex as a biological variable not detected. Randomization not detected. Blinding not detected. Power Analysis not detected. Table 2: Resources
No key resources detected.
Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).
Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:In spite of supply constraints during the early days of the pandemic, Hi-Fi masks are now available without supply limitations such as N95 respirators and elastomeric N95 respirators (eN95) [31] [32] [35] [36] [37]. Beyond COVID-19 and Wildfires: COVID-19 …
SciScore for 10.1101/2021.07.24.21260660: (What is this?)
Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.
Table 1: Rigor
Ethics not detected. Sex as a biological variable not detected. Randomization not detected. Blinding not detected. Power Analysis not detected. Table 2: Resources
No key resources detected.
Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).
Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:In spite of supply constraints during the early days of the pandemic, Hi-Fi masks are now available without supply limitations such as N95 respirators and elastomeric N95 respirators (eN95) [31] [32] [35] [36] [37]. Beyond COVID-19 and Wildfires: COVID-19 will not be the last nor worst-case respiratory virus with pandemic potential. Global pandemics from novel viruses may be accelerating. We saw Ebola in 2014, Zika in 2016, and Coronavirus in 2019. There are over 180 human viruses besides Covid-19, and on average two new species are added every year [16]. Some 94% of these are RNA viruses. RNA viruses are prone to rapid mutations because they lack a proofreading mechanism, and have rapid replication [17]. For example, could a lab turn measles-like dog virus (∼50% fatal) into a human virus? Consider a dog virus called Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) [18] which acts by first attacking the immune system (via SLAMF1=CD150) then attacks the nervous system (via PVRL4). In vitro, gain of function studies suggest this canine virus may be just 2-3 mutations away from infecting humans [19]. Mutations in viruses are routinely synthesized artificially as part of COVID-19 vaccine research in laboratories across the world [20]. Aerosolized threats from bacteria dispersal [21] motivated the development of a national sensor network called Biowatch [22]. The idea of a lightweight respirator to secure against biological attacks that requires low inhalation pressures, is comfortable to wear for pr...
Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.
Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.
Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.
Results from rtransparent:- Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
- Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
- No protocol registration statement was detected.
Results from scite Reference Check: We found no unreliable references.
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