Daily Eyewear as Protection From Viruses
We urge everyone to take the precautions recommended by our local health care officials. Because COVID-19 (as well as other viruses) often gets into the body through the nose, mouth, and eyes, wearing eyeglasses and/or sunglasses can offer you an additional barrier of protection. According to the American Academy of Opthamology, “Guarding your eyes — as well as your hands and mouth — can slow the spread of coronavirus.”
The AAO recommends:
- Switching from contacts to glasses, for the time being.
- Wearing glasses or sunglasses whenever possible. For added protection, such as when caring for someone who is sick, wear goggles.
- Stocking up on eye prescriptions, if you can.
- Avoid touching your face, especially if you have not washed your hands, as the virus is spread through mucus membranes, such as the nose, mouth, and eyes. Wearing glasses can help minimize the urge to rub your eyes.
No Cases of Coronavirus From Imported Good
As mentioned above, all of our vintage stock is years old — in most cases, it is decades old and has been in our own warehouse for several years. Even our Signature Collection models have been in our warehouse since January, meaning they were shipped weeks prior. The Centers for Disease Control posted the following information on its website:
There is still a lot that is unknown about the newly emerged COVID-19 and how it spreads. Two other coronaviruses have emerged previously to cause severe illness in people (MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV). The virus that causes COVID-19 is more genetically related to SARS-CoV than MERS-CoV, but both are betacoronaviruses with their origins in bats. While we don’t know for sure that this virus will behave the same way as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, we can use the information gained from both of these earlier coronaviruses to guide us. In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures. Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the United States associated with imported goods. Information will be provided on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website as it becomes available.
We wish everyone good health during these stressful and unprecedented times.
Sincerely,
Toni & Ani
The Sunglass Museum