Perhaps you’ve seen it on the news that there is a severe shortage of face masks right now. One of the things that experts are calling for us to do in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is to wear facemasks while out in public.
There are several things to take into account before you begin. Starting out, make sure that you are safe yourself. The goal of making these is not to put others or yourself at risk, but rather to help. That means using questionable fabrics or going out to the store to get supplies is not smart. But, if you’re healthy and you have the right materials laying around, you can get started.
For masks to be effective, they need to fit certain criteria. N95 masks are hard to come by at this point, but that doesn’t mean that you need to be unprepared. All across the nation, volunteers are making masks to donate or sell for extremely cheap in order to help people stay safe. Maybe you know a few people who have volunteered their time and talents to make masks for people who work in essential services. Maybe this is something that you’ve been looking to do yourself, but you’re not sure where to start.
Luckily, there are a ton of really good resources out there that can help you get started. These homemade masks might not be quite the same as official N95 masks with their professionally designed filtration systems, but they can help to reduce the risk of breathing in the coronavirus. They’re not perfect, but they are one more step that you can take to help keep yourself and your family safe.
The CDC recommends making masks in a certain way, with three pleats per fabric mask to add more surface area and filtration. Also, it is advised that some types of fabrics are better filters than others.
Looking to make your own mask? There are a lot of good tutorials out there. I’ve enclosed a few resources here for you. Maybe you want to make one for yourself and your family, or maybe you want to make a few to donate to a local agency. Check out these resources to get started.
Information on appropriate fabrics.
Even if you do not need a mask of your own, this could be a good way to help give back to the people that are out working on the front lines right now. Be sure to practice safe practices when making these. Do not make them if you have COVID-19 or symptoms related to it. Wash your hands well and use sanitizer before beginning and handling materials. Wear non-latex gloves while you are sewing and handling things to minimize your contact with the materials. Remember these are things that will be on someone’s face, so you want to be as safe and cautious as possible when creating these.
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