During the coronavirus pandemic, finding face masks is very hard, if not impossible at a local pharmacy or a store. Ordering masks online could be an option, but it can be weeks or months before they’re delivered.
People still have options, when it comes to getting a non-medical or home-made mask. You can even make one yourself.
Page the Cleaners started taking orders for non-medical cloth masks about two weeks ago, and have since made more than a thousand. It’s been a way for the company to keep their staff working. Masks sell for $12.
“Originally, we were only going to make 500 masks,” general manager Bruce Hogle said.
Hogle said during the first day they had over 1,000 people call for a mask.
“We have everyone from seniors with health problems, youth with health problems, and healthy adults,” Hogle said.
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It takes about five minutes to make a mask, and there are about 50 people with Page the Cleaners sewing them.
You can also check out the Facebook page, Mask Makers YEG. Their goal is to give away free masks to anyone who wants one.
“We are really hoping to reach communities that need them that wouldn’t have access to them other wise,” Monique Scheelar said.
The group has about 25 volunteers, the hope is they can get more people to volunteer to meet the demand.
“The wait time is about a week,” Scheelar said.
There is a similar Facebook group for Calgary.
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There’s also a DYI option and it doesn’t involve any sewing. Using a pattern from the CDC you can a T-shirt, and cut it up to make a mask to wear in public.
A reminder, cloth face masks won’t protect the person wearing them but prevent the spread of COVID-19, by trapping droplets.
“Certainly the wearing of masks as we’ve talked about before is a measure that’s very helpful to prevent the spread from someone who may be ill and not know it so perhaps has either extremely mild symptoms or no symptoms at all and to help prevent that spread from themselves to others,” Alberta Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw said.