The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing a cloth face covering 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.
Learn All About Easy DIY Cloth Face Covering to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face covering to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Executive Order No. 66 Series of 2020 for Cebu City
Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella issues Executive Order No. 66 mandates that everyone wears a face covering or a mask when in public places in the city.
How to Wear a Cloth Face Covering
Cloth face coverings should —
- fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- be secured with ties or ear loops
- include multiple layers of fabric
- allow for breathing without restriction
- be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
Tutorials on Sew and No Sew Cloth Face Covering
Sewn Cloth Face Covering
Materials
– Two 10”x6” rectangles of cotton fabric
– Two 6” pieces of elastic (or rubber bands, string, cloth strips, or hair ties)
– Needle and thread (or bobby pin)
– Scissors
– Sewing machine
Steps
1) Cut out two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric. Use tightly woven cotton, such as quilting fabric or cotton sheets. T-shirt fabric will work in a pinch. Stack the two rectangles; you will sew the mask as if it was a single piece of fabric.
2) Fold over the long sides ¼ inch and hem. Then fold the double layer of fabric over ½ inch along the short sides and stitch down.
3) Run a 6-inch length of 1/8-inch wide elastic through the wider hem on each side of the mask. These will be the ear loops. Use a large needle or a bobby pin to thread it through. Tie the ends tight.
Don’t have elastic? Use hair ties or elastic headbands. If you only have a string, you can make the ties longer and tie the mask behind your head.
4) Gently pull on the elastic so that the knots are tucked inside the hem. Gather the sides of the mask on the elastic and adjust so the mask fits your face. Then securely stitch the elastic in place to keep it from slipping.
Quick Cut T-shirt Face Covering (no-sew method)
Materials
– T-shirt
– Scissors
Steps (see images below)
Bandana Face Covering (no-sew method)
Materials
– Bandana (or square cotton cloth approximately 20”x20”)
– Rubber bands (or hair ties)
– Scissors (if you are cutting your own cloth)
Steps (see images below)
Q & A on Homemade Cloth Face Covering
Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly? How regularly?
Yes. They should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use.
How does one safely sterilize/clean a cloth face covering?
A washing machine should suffice in properly washing a face covering.
How does one safely remove a used cloth face covering?
Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing.
It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slow the spread of the virus. CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face covering to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
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The recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.
