With the growing need for PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), it looks like many of us are on the hunt for ways to make masks. I have put together a number of resources here for you.
Learn more from the CDC with additional options to make your own masks.
Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
Click here to download the PDF Template.
Wonder what mask type is for you? Check out this article from THE NEW YORK TIMES
Coronavirus: Which Mask Should You Wear?
Face masks have become an emblem in the fight against the coronavirus, with officials in the United States and elsewhere recommending — and in some cases requiring — that people wear them to help slow the spread of the deadly outbreak.
Figuring out what to wear is not so easy. N95 and medical masks, which offer the most protection and are heavily in demand, should be reserved for health care workers who are regularly exposed to infected patients.
Here’s a look at some of the types of masks you might encounter, how they work, what to consider when making your own and the level of protection they could provide.
Read more at nytimes.com
DIY Face Mask –
How to Make a Face Mask
by Cailey Johanna Thiessen
No matter where you live, you’re living through a pandemic. As Covid-19 continues to spread, you’ve probably been spending a lot more time at home. This could be the perfect opportunity to deep clean your home, finish some projects from your to-do list, or really invest in your garden. This is also a great time to pull out your sewing machine and make yourself a face mask. This way, when you do need to go out to buy groceries or get some fresh air, you can give yourself an extra layer of protection.
These masks are non-medical. However, they can at least stop you from touching your face – spreading germs from your hands to your nose or mouth is one of the easiest ways you can potentially catch the virus. In fact, while recognizing that these are not surgical masks, the CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings.
Here are a few tips on how to get the best use out of a do-it-yourself face mask, followed by five tutorials on how to make your own mask. I’ve included several options, including two that don’t require any sewing and can be made with the material you already have at home.
Here is another DIY template with instructions that I found useful.
