In lieu of the shortage of face masks that are desperately needed by medical front-line workers, the general population has taken up a functional trend of sewing their own masks. A noble effort, indeed, but do they work?

Not completely, but they help.

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Writer at Medium.com, Danielle Kosecki reports in her in-depth article that Thomas Fuller, ScD, CIH, CSP, associate professor of the Illinois State University Safety Program and an American Industrial Hygienist Association fellow states “some of what you exhale is going to get around the outside edges of the mask, but most of it is going to get caught right as it comes out. Particles that small don’t bounce once they stick to something, so masks are pretty protective in catching the agent if someone’s infected.”

So the answer to whether or not it's worth wearing the cloth masks we can make from home is YES.

However, clearly it's important to make sure we're wearing them properly. Obviously they're not foolproof, though a good amount of the particles, if you're infected, that you might sneeze or cough out will be caught in the bandana or scarf, etc. But, the cloth will be infected and so anyone handling them should do so with great caution.

Both the article and video above are excellent resources in learning how to make sure, if you going to the trouble to wear a mask and/or gloves, that you're doings so properly.

Please stay safe. And, as always, if you can: Stay home.

How to Sew a Face Mask

 

 

 

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