The best way to fight the coronavirus is to stay at home. But some people may need to go out for essentials or to go to work.
In those situations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends wearing a cloth mask to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading the virus, especially since a large number of people with coronavirus do not show any symptoms.
When combined with maintaining six feet of distance with other people, these masks can help reduce the risk enough to help make a difference and flatten the curve.
These masks are not the same as the N95 respirators that health care workers are using to avoid contracting the virus while working in a medical setting and caring for coronavirus patients. Those masks continue to be in short supply and it is critical that the public leave them for professional use.
“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,” the CDC said this week.
While there are now countless how-to videos on making your own cloth face-masks, Hyattsville’s Sue Older-Mondeel, also know as Tanglewood Sue, has put together a light-hearted video on how to make one type of no-sew cloth face mask using an old cotton t-shirt and a household air filter, since not everyone has access to a sewing machine. She’s also put together a curated supply list on Amazon.
The masks, she told the Hyattsville Wire, are designed to offer protection like n95 masks because they utilize Merv 13 air filters, which are the highest grade of particle protection in household filters. With guidelines changing, however, viewers should use their own judgement on safety precautions, she said.
The World Health Organization recommends you do not touch the front of your mask and take it off by removing the straps or elastics from behind your ears.
Three Little Birds Sewing Co., just around the corner, has also put online patterns for making masks. And here are two slightly different sew and no-sew face mask tutorials direct from the CDC.
Tanglewood Works is also fulfilling all arts supplies orders online for delivery as well as hosting a daily DIY show called the New Sue Revue on both Facebook and YouTube.
