There is a lot of information circulating about the creation of your own personal protection gear. Viral links like this one discussing which materials to use when making cloth masks are helpful but there are many factors to consider when producing items in this situation.
Production time per mask, availability of materials and supplies, and specific requests from healthcare personnel make this a complex process. The Carolina Mask Project is focusing on producing as many viable items as possible, depending on the needs of the medical workers. This means it is important to keep the items easy to make and breathable. There are some cases of masks being too thick to wear in the stressful and physically demanding tasks at hand.
The following resources are what we are relying on to help folks make and update their making processes.
HCP use of homemade masks:
In settings where facemasks are not available, HCP might use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort. However, homemade masks are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect HCP is unknown. Caution should be exercised when considering this option. Homemade masks should ideally be used in combination with a face shield that covers the entire front (that extends to the chin or below) and sides of the face.
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Additional CDC Resources
Million Mask Challenge
Read the Forbes article that helped spark a movement and use #millionmaskchallenge to participate on social media.
Facebook Groups (not affiliated with the project)
The Helpful Engineering Project is seeking engineers, scientists and doctors around the world to volunteer.
Please use the contact form below if you’d like to see any additional resources added to this list.