BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 06: A Chinese woman wears a protective mask as she shops in a market on February 6, 2020 in Beijing, China. The number of cases of a deadly new coronavirus rose to more than 28000 in mainland China Thursday, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a global public health emergency. China continued to lock down the city of Wuhan in an effort to contain the spread of the pneumonia-like disease which medicals experts have confirmed can be passed from human to human. In an unprecedented move, Chinese authorities have put travel restrictions on the city which is the epicenter of the virus and municipalities in other parts of the country affecting tens of millions of people. The number of those who have died from the virus in China climbed to over 564 on Thursday, mostly in Hubei province, and cases have been reported in other countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and several others. The World Health Organization has warned all governments to be on alert and screening has been stepped up at airports around the world. Some countries, including the United States, have put restrictions on Chinese travelers entering and advised their citizens against travel to China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, N95 and surgical masks are becoming harder to find, or they are being saved for healthcare workers. Recently, the CDC updated its recommendations about wearing masks in public and explained that cloth masks proved to be beneficial. They say, “In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.”
For anyone interested in DIY, BuzzFeed producer, Erin Phraner, recently made a video showing a straightforward way to make cloth masks at home. They can be made with new or recycled material, elastic, and a sewing machine. They can also be made without a sewing machine if you don’t have one. Watch her tutorial below.
There’s also video going around showing a no-sew way to make a mask that only requires a handkerchief and two elastic hair ties. See the video below.
