Dear Neighbors,
I hope by now you know that the COVID-19 virus spreads by people who show no or few symptoms. That’s why best practice is to wear a face mask whenever you have to go outside. And both Governor Pritzker and the federal
Centers for Disease Controls
recommend it.
A face masks will help prevent your breathing from reaching other people. It also has some limited ability to protect you from others. It is NOT a substitute for social distancing, as we said in
Friday’s newsletter
, it is an added layer of protection – which we need now as cases skyrocket.
This is your guide to making and wearing a face mask. Please share this with others. Take a photo of you wearing your mask and tag it
#43WearsAMask!
What is a mask made of?
It’s easy to find materials for a mask with what you have in the house. You need:
Fabric
: The best is a tightly woven 100% cotton fabric. The tighter the weave the better – if you can see through the fabric – not good. You can cut up an old men's dress shirt, craft fabric, or a bandana. Just don't use synthetics.
Many masks include a layer of non-woven material in-between the cloth layers. There is
fabric interfacing, or you can even use coffee filters or cut up HEPA vacuum filters, but these cannot be laundered, so you would have to replace them every day.
Laces or Elastic:
Something to keep the mask on your head, like elastic hair bands, shoe laces, clothes line, or even T-shirt yarn (see
this video
)
Nose Fitting (Optional):You can also add a wire to make a tight fit on your nose (and keep glasses from fogging) from floral wire or pipe cleaners. You need to be able to sew.
The aim: to keep the mask fairly tight around your nose and mouth – the mask is usually held around your ears, or tied around your head.