Question: Coronavirus & home sewn masks?

Article on aerosols etc



WEBMD HEALTH NEWS
Aerosol Scientist: COVID-19 Is Likely Airborne
By Brenda Goodman, MA

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/202...aInMMCb0_PjEl3Urg_EyHRTdemPzoGnswqZSug2jyDgEk

“She tells people to imagine how far they can smell cigarette smoke or a barbecue. That’s how far aerosols can travel between you and another person.

The good news, she says, is that recent studies have shown that homemade cloth masks can be as effective at blocking the virus as surgical masks. There’s one big caveat, though. They have to fit to your face.”

 

@Keela Too out of the different masks you made, which do you reckon is the best pattern - for a close fit?

 

I’ve only made the one style. It fits quite closely - if the way the fabric puffs in and out as I breathe is anything to go by. In truth I’ve really never been out to use it. Groceries are delivered to the doorstep here, and although I’ve been out in the car, that was really just in my own bubble.

 

Ok @Keela Too thanks, that does look a good one, I will hunt up-thread for the pattern, I'm going to attempt to hand sew one for myself just because I want to go be able to pop out into the garden when necessary & my neighbours are all out there. Normally I wait till the coast is clear to stagger out & fill up the bird feeder but the other night I just couldn't wait & although they're all more than 2 mtrs away, there are a lot of them the other side of the fence & when the breeze blows in my direction it makes me nervous.

 

I added a Link to the mask-making post in the first post here.

 

oh that's massively helpful thank you

 

@Keela Too Where did you get those nose wires from?

 

They had been holding a vine up in the green house!!
My good man pruned the vine and salvaged the wire!

I also did some masks with re-bent plastic coated paperclips.

 

I have some thick fuse wire which I think should do the job nicely, too

Thank you, Sean - I was just wondering whereabouts the air filters link was!

 

I read on one mask making site that ordinary twist ties would work in a pinch. I have no idea how you'd insert them / attach them.

PS. I don't have the manual dexterity or brain power to make masks myself! This was on some site where you'd buy a mask and then insert a twist tie - but I've lost the link.

 

I've been using plastic-coated twist ties in the masks that I've made. They seem to be working, though maybe not as well as the metal clips you can buy at Amazon or eBay. My home care worker has been washing the masks I've made her pretty frequently and they seem to be holding up. I just stitched around the ties to hold them in place between the fabric.

 

https://twitter.com/user/status/1272955262597574658

 

Loved the cat and the polystyrene blocks

 

Best bit of the video!

 

I’m going to back to sewing masks again now. This time the lining fabric will be hemmed separately at the sides so an insert can be added if required. There is a local coordinating group here, so I can just drop the completed masks off when done. I’m not fast, as I just do a little at a time, but I’m finding a bit of sewing quite satisfying.

Since lock down I had switched to sewing scrubs and gifting them, either directly to individuals, or via a group for central distribution. While some ladies made literally 100’s, I was proud enough of the 37 I produced!

Below are a few I created.

 

Yes. Scrubs are either worn in care-homes instead of regular clothing, or under PPE. Their advantage is that they can be hot washed. Bags are used to put used scrubs into, and they get washed with the scrubs.

Masks are not medical grade, and can also be washed in a hot wash.

My latest masks can have a medical grade filter inserted, but that is not re-useable and would be disposed of before washing the mask itself.