Local crafter making masks

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This article was published 16/04/2020 (1996 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Brandon crafter has started making “social distancing masks” to help alleviate people’s concerns with shopping or going out in public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The masks aren’t medical-grade, and aren’t intended to be, but could be a reminder to people to stop touching their face and cut down on transmission of the virus, said Tammy Waterfield.

“They’re for basically anybody who’s going to be going out in public. I feel like I want to wear one now and I know a lot of other people who want to wear them,” she said.

“I’m a face toucher, forever rubbing my nose or chewing my fingernails or whatever, so it stops me from doing that, which I think is great.”

The masks are made of two layers of cotton, which she said she are sourced from wherever she can find it. The strings that keep the masks in place are made from a soft cord, so are adjustable and don’t hurt after long periods of wearing, like elastics.

They are also pre-washed, so they won’t shrink when washed.

Waterfield said she is a big crafter but only started making the masks last week.

“I was a little bit overwhelmed last week, I made probably over 100 of them,” she said. “I’m busy again this week.”

The idea to make the masks came from watching the news, Waterfield said. Making masks was also something positive she could do to keep her mind off the pandemic while helping people. So far, she said she has made approximately 130.

“When I started out, it was just for my family, then my sister posted a picture and it literally just lit up my phone, it was kind of crazy. I don’t want to get (COVID-19) and I wouldn’t ever want to give it, so I thought, well let’s make some masks,” she said.

“It’s just a little something, but it could help.”

The masks cost $10 and can be ordered directly from Waterfield. She said she is offering contactless delivery for the masks.

Non-medical face masks or scarves can be worn in public, Manitoba chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said during the province’s COVID-19 updates on Wednesday. He added they may help stop the spread of the virus by protecting other people from becoming infected, but not the wearer. He said wearing a non-medical mask is akin to coughing or sneezing into your elbow.

Medical-grade masks should still be saved for front-line and health-care workers.

Roussin has said multiple times that wearing a mask should not be a distraction from the province’s recommendation to stay at home and go out as little as possible.

If people do choose to wear a mask in public, they should be careful not to touch their mouths, eyes, nose or face in general when taking it off. They should wash both their hands and the mask itself after taking it off.

Masks can be washed in washing machines as the laundry soap destroys the virus.

 

» dmay@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @DrewMay_