The novel coronavirus is quite new and much is not known about the virus.
It was said by the World Health Organization (WHO) till mid-March 2020 that masks should only be used by corona patients and healthcare workers who are in close contact with patients. It was believed that COVID-19 is not airborne and does not spread if you are not in direct contact with someone infected.
New Study:
A recent study by John Hopkins University suggested that mRNA of coronavirus are light enough to stay in the air for up to 6 hours. Therefore we are at risk if someone with infection sneezed at a place up to 6 hours before where we are now. CDC has recently recommended that a cloth mask should be used to cover the face. These masks can be made at home with DIY techniques mentioned below:
Sewn Cloth Face Covering
DIY Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Materials
Two 10”x6” rectangles of cotton fabric
Two 6” pieces of elastic (or rubber bands, string, cloth strips, or hair ties)
Needle and thread (or bobby pin)
Scissors
Sewing machine
Tutorial
1. Cut out two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric. Use tightly woven cotton, such as quilting fabric or cotton sheets. T-shirt fabric will work in a pinch. Stack the two rectangles; you will sew the mask as if it was a single piece of fabric.
2. Fold over the long sides ¼ inch and hem. Then fold the double layer of fabric over ½ inch along the short sides and stitch down.
3. Run a 6-inch length of 1/8-inch wide elastic through the wider hem on each side of the mask. These will be the ear loops. Use a large needle or a bobby pin to thread it through. Tie the ends tight. Don’t have elastic? Use hair ties or elastic headbands. If you only have a string, you can make the ties longer and tie the mask behind your head.
4. Gently pull on the elastic so that the knots are tucked inside the hem. Gather the sides of the mask on the elastic and adjust so the mask fits your face. Then securely stitch the elastic in place to keep it from slipping.
Quick Cut T-shirt Face Covering (no-sew method)
Materials
T-shirt
Scissors
Tutorial
