Why You Should Make (and wear!) Your Own Cloth Face Mask (and how do it)

With highly contagious coronavirus (COVID19) rapidly spreading throughout the world, many people are shopping for surgical masks to protect against this dangerous disease.

The sudden increase in demand for “Personal Protective Equipment” (PPE) and the interrupted supply lines in China have led to a critical shortage of small particle filtering face masks (N-95s) and fitted rectangular sneeze guards (“surgical masks”).

News reports, appropriately seeking to reserve limited supplies of these disposable items for medical institutions, have been asking people not to purchase these items. Public officials have been quoted suggesting – inaccurately – that face coverings can’t help prevent the spread of this new virus.

The truth is more complicated:

COVID19 is spread from person-to-person in droplets of moisture, mucus and saliva from people with infections. Coughing, sneezing, and even normal breathing put these virus particles into the air. One sneeze can put out thousands of droplets.

People standing less than 6 feet away may become covered with these virus particles while they are still in the air. After the droplets fall, the virus particles can remain active for up to nine days.

Infection occurs when someone breathes in airborne droplets, or when they touch their mouth, nose or eyes with hands covered in virus particles that have fallen out of the air onto counters, hand rails, floors or other surfaces.

Wearing a face mask stops people from becoming infected in two ways:

1) By blocking most airborne droplets filled with virus from being inhaled

2) By stopping the wearer from touching their own mouths and noses.

Studies have shown that medical professional using surgical face masks correctly get 80% fewer infections than those who don’t.

Supplies:

Mask 1 is fitted, with 2 layers of fabric and a pocket between them for an optional filter (see research links for info on filters). It is held on by elastic ear loops. Elastic can also be threaded to fit around the head.

Mask 2 is fitted, with 2 layers but no pocket, and is easier to make.

seam allowances are ¼” unless noted

MASK 1 & 2 supplies (child, regular and large size):

9" x 15" fabric outer layer
9" x 15" fabric lining layer
(3 regular or large size masks of either design, can be made from 1/4 yard (9") of 45” wide fabric)
3” piece of soft wire (this can be decorative wire as shown, or picture wire, or even a paper clip if that's all you can find)
approx. 22” of elastic cord (child size length 10", regular size length 11-12", large size length 13")

WHAT KIND OF FABRIC?
You can choose any tightly woven cotton or cotton/poly fabric you like. Hold it up to the light to see how tight the weave is. Use the same fabric for outer and lining if you want, or use different ones to help you remember which side is clean and which dirty.

The research (see links at the end) shows 100% cotton having some effectiveness. Cotton/polyester blends may have additional properties of repelling water, making them better barriers to keep droplets from soaking through outer layers.

Don't use stretchy, sequined or velvet material.

Wash all fabrics before sewing to pre-shrink, and to assure you are working with the most sanitary materials possible.