Hakim

#PPEChallenge
Eventhough the use of surgical masks plays a role in reducing transmission in COVID-19, it is not very available and the masks need to be changed every 4hrs.

The societies in countries like China, Indonesia, and Taiwan wore CLOTH MASK which I believe helped in lowering the transmission. Most of all, it saved the surgical mask and N95s for the sick and front line workers

Please keep in mind wearing mask alone does not help. You need to wash your hands and practice physical distancing.

Here are the steps I used to make Fabric Masks with Filter Pocket:

STEP 1: Cut 1 piece of Main Fabric, 2 pieces of Lining and 2 pieces of elastic

STEP 2: Fold up about 1.5cm on one side of the Lining's long edge and sew. Repeat with other set.

STEP 3: Stack and clip/pin both Lining on Main Fabric. Make sure the gaps on both left and right sides are equal.

STEP 4: Sew the Lining and Main Fabric together, at the top and bottom.

STEP 5: Fold in Lining to Main Fabric from inside out.

STEP 6: Time to create the pleats! Pinch and fold both Main Fabric and Lining into 3 pleats, about 1cm per pleat. Clip or pin to hold the folds and press the pleats. The finished height is approximately 10cm.

STEP 7: Sew a straight line on the Main Fabric, right next to the Lining edge. Repeat on the other side.

STEP 8: To create the elastic tunnel, fold the raw edge of the Main Fabric twice. Clip or pin to hold the folds in place. Repeat on the other side. Sew up the folds to create the elastic tunnel. Repeat on the other side.

STEP 9: Insert elastic, tie a knot, insert a non-woven layer and you are done!

Recommendation to follow:

1. Wash fabric masks daily
2. Replace non-woven layer with a fresh one-- do not reuse!
3. Save the surgical masks for medical professionals who are on the front line of healthcare, and use them only when if proximity to people with infection
4. Washing your hands often-- it's more important than wearing a mask.
5. Fabric masks need to be washed and worn carefully as you would a surgical mask:
6. Wash and dry your hands before putting on and removing the mask
7. Be careful that you don't contaminate the inside of the mask, don't pull the mask down to rest on your chin
8. Practice good hand hygiene
9. Any type of masks (N95, surgical, fabric) shouldn't be worn too long. When it gets damp, you should replace it.

Please use a surgical mask for better protection when:
1. You are sick and have to be around other people
2. You are healthy and you're heading to a very high-risk crowded area or a place with sick people

Dr. Betesaida Eylachew - Opthalmologist

‏Source m.facebook.com