In the face of weakening public health resources and guidance, a group of local Colorado volunteers are offering health and safety information to help fill the void. They use the social media account “Mask Together Colorado” to provide data, info, and alerts on viral surges, wildfire smoke, and vaccine access, combined with techniques and tips on how we can protect ourselves, help reduce downtime from illness, and prevent long term damage to our health.
“There is a particular void of public health information about the importance of breathing clean air at the moment,” says CSU professor Maria Gillespie, a spokesperson for the local group and board member of the national organization Mask Together America. “We learned from the pandemic that viruses can travel through the air like smoke, and that simple tools like air purifiers can go a long way in protecting our lungs from not just viruses, but wildfire smoke and air pollution as well. We understand the importance of cleaning the water supply, but what about clean air?”
Mask Together Colorado is holding a free Clean Air Panel in July that is open to the public, featuring expert panelists Dr. Jose Luis-Jimenez (Aerosol scientist, CU Boulder), Fiona Gau (Public health expert), and Stephanie Williams (Community activist). The panel will be held Tuesday, July 8 from 6-7 PM at the Park Lane Condominiums at 460 S Marion Parkway, Building B in Denver. It will also be streamed in hybrid mode on Zoom, with a registration form for the link, at https://bit.ly/3ZpuKz3.
“I hope we can help everyone access better tools and data for staying healthy in this day and age,” says Susan, another organizer in the group, whose caregiving role means that she cannot afford to ignore such issues. “Coloradans deserve the freedom to make choices that protect their health and their loved ones, and that includes access to vaccines, the right to wear a mask, access to data, and telehealth options. We’re fighting for those rights.”
