Forests have been burning in California for more than a week, and due to fires, air quality in local cities has dropped dramatically. Startups from Silicon Valley have begun issuing special respirators to employees and customers.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has already published detailed instructions for choosing a mask: experts explained where to buy a mask, how to wear it and how often to change it. However, most stores run out of masks immediately after deliveries, the newspaper writes.
Some companies have begun issuing masks to their employees. So did, for example, the Californian Doctor on Demand, a company that calls doctors to their homes. The startup Carbon Health did the same, creating a virtual medical platform. At Carbon Health, masks are given out not only to employees, but also to other people.
“Our startup is a California resident, so we consider it necessary to provide masks not only to employees, but also to other people who need protection from dirty air. It’s an easy and effective way to help. There are queues in stores for masks, and in most places they have already sold out, ”said Greg Burrell, co-founder of Carbon Health.
The Kelly-Moore Paint store also began handing out masks. One family could get up to 5 masks there, but at the time of writing, all the masks were over: an apology message was posted on the store page.
Even coffee shops like Starbucks give out masks. Users write about this on social networks, but the coffee chain has not yet provided official comments.