Question: Coronavirus & home sewn masks?

Keela Too said:
I am considering making myself a couple of masks (cos I have a sewing machine and materials to hand) and just having them there.... just because... why not.
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I heard something on the radio suggesting that some of the cheap masks were not very useful as the virus would get through the holes in the material. But the masks normally used in healthcare would be useful.

So there may be a question of what material to use.
 
Wonko said:
I agree that they are probably useful in reducing face touching so may help the wearer that way, but they're not, at least according to my understanding and literally every article or report I've read, doing it by filtering the air people breathe in.
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Have you observed how many times people touch their faces just to keep the mask in place when they're talking on their mobiles or just by habit? Many times. I commented earlier that wearing gloves would be more effective (?) to remind people to avoid touching their face.
 
@Roy S You beat me to it. I was just coming here to post that. :)

I wonder about using two or more layers in a mask. Cos having spent sometime, when I was first ill, buying fabric that I haven’t ever got around to sewing up, I have rather a lot of material.

The limiting factor is definitely the sewing time here. :P
 
Here's one I made earlier:
facemask.jpg

A few details: I made the fabric by sandwiching an old T-shirt (quite thick fabric) between 2 old shirts (originally for another project). Loosly quilted together (you can see the running stitches). Then cut it out to about the size of an A4 piece of paper, iron in the folds, stitch up the edges and bind with enough room to fit some elastic through (I did the same on the bottom to aid fit under the chin), then thread elastic through and bingo! It took about a day of fiddling to make (not including the time to make the quilted fabric).

I've already been slammed for even daring to think that this might be in any way protective, but my aim was always to protect others if I have to go out not knowing my own infectious status.

Anyway, hope that helps. Do ask me for more details if you need it.
 
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not such a ridiculous idea
Coronavirus: Deaconess asks public to sew CDC-compliant face masks for staff

"
"This does follow CDC protocols that you can find on their website that if all other supplies are not available, that handmade masks that meet certain criteria are acceptable," Deaconess spokeswoman Becca Scott said.

The release with the video, pattern and instructions was posted to the Deaconess Facebook page Thursday morning and is available at www.deaconess.com/masks. A PDF of the pattern is available here and embedded at the bottom of this article. "
https://eu.courierpress.com/story/n...public-provide-medical-face-masks/2865273001/

might be only a matter of time before similar is needed here(?)

maybe @Keela Too you and others could see if there might be a demand (via twitter)?

eta: see Roy S post above
 
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