Face masks are all the rage in 2020, for better or worse.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently advised the public to wear face masks in public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The CDC said wearing face masks can prevent people who are infected with the disease, but not showing symptoms, from spreading the virus to other people.
Shortly after, the City of Fresno released guidelines directing businesses to require employees to wear masks. While wearing face masks are not required for the general public, the Fresno County Department of Public Health still encourages people to wear masks when outside of the home.
Several non-profit organizations, as well as schools, businesses and churches, have begun to create cloth masks to meet the increasingly high demand.
Snowflake Designs is one such business. The shop traditionally creates custom leotards and gymnastic clothes, but began creating face masks after the outbreak began.
Snowflake Designs owner LaDonna Snow said the masks are made of cloth and antimicrobial microbial fabric and spandex.
“We have nylon lycra on the outside and poly lycra on the inside that has antimicrobial properties. Then there is a pocket in there that you can put another filtration into,” Snow said.
Snow said the face masks are created by 10 seamstresses who pump out about 1,000 masks a day.
Snowflake Designs donated more than 900 cloth masks to the City of Clovis. The business is currently taking orders online and it takes 10 days to receive your order.
If you are handy with a sewing machine, several tutorials are available online to teach you how to make your own face mask at home using materials such as fabric, elastic and scissors. The CDC’s tutorial can be found here.
Face masks may not always keep the wearer safe from transmission, but they do prevent individuals who are already infected from spreading the disease to others.
Some masks work better than others. Surgical masks are the most effective at preventing the spread of disease, but health officials say they should be reserved for healthcare workers on the frontlines. The FCDPH is advising the public to wear cloth masks instead, which are reusable after washing.
Cloth face masks should fit snugly but comfortably along the side of the face; be secured with loops or ties; include multiple layers of fabric; allow for breathing without restriction and should be easily washable.
Your mask will not be effective if you do not know how to properly use it.
The FCDPH advises to always wash your hands before putting on your mask to prevent contamination. You should not touch the outside of your mask, as that is the part that is exposed to the outside and potential virus particles.
Health officials say the best way to put on or take off your mask is to pick it up by the straps. This further reduces the risk of contamination.
You should also refrain from pulling your mask up and down on your face. If you only have one mask and you need to take it off, you should remove it by the straps and place it in a clean plastic bin or something similar.
Face masks should be washed after each use. You can either put them in a washing machine or hand wash them using soap and hot water.
It is important to note that wearing a face mask does not replace the importance of social distancing and practicing good hygiene. Those are still the best methods to keep yourself safe from the disease.
Additional information can be found on the FCDPH website at: https://www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/public-health/covid-19