Important: What we need to know about homemade masks & gloves

It is indisputable:  Asymptomatic transmission is COVID-19’s secret power against us.  We must be vigilant in taking effective actions to protect ourselves.

Non-clinical grade masks – whether acquired in a doctor’s office or home-made from cloth-- are a tricky business.  So, before we place undue confidence in their ability to protect us from COVID 19 transmission -- let’s get some advice from the public health experts. 

The johns Hopkins School of Public Health offers a pyramid turned upside down as a teaching aid:

• Its broad base, with the most effective action – Social Distancing -- is on top, followed by; 
• thorough/frequent Hand Washing and abstaining from touching our face; followed by:
• the disinfecting of High-touch Surfaces and objects.  At the tip (bottom), the least effective--
• non-clinical Masks and Gloves.   

Does this mean we should not bother to wear our homemade cloth masks when we leave our homes?  Absolutely not. IF a mask is worn and removed correctly it affords some protection from spreading and acquiring the infection.  

The mask you wear will protect others from your germs to a greater degree, than it will protect you from their air borne droplets produced by coughing, sneezing and yes, talking, in your vicinity.  

These droplets and the virus particles they may carry, are infinitesimal and can find their way through non-clinical masks, too porous to offer a high level of protection.  Next time you put on a mask notice that it probably does not adhere closely to your checks, under chin and upper area near your eyes.  I use paper tape to attach mask to my checks and along the top – not knowing for sure if it helps.

Here is something to think about.  A mask can trap and hold particles that land on it against your nose, mouth (and near your eyes) where you could continually breathe them in.  You can see why always maintaining social distancing, even wearing a mask, is so necessary for safety.  

I carry a plastic bag in my pocket if I must go out.  Before I get into my car, I carefully remove the mask and put directly into the bag and fold it up. I make a point of NOT touching my face.  When I get in my auto, I sanitize my hands and face before I touch around in my car.  

When I get home, I either put mask in hot soapy water & dry it or wet it down and put in the microwave to disinfect it.  (Do not put masks with metal nose pieces in microwave). I wash my hands and my face with hot water and soap before I get busy with anything else.  It helps to have more than one mask so there is always a clean one ready for use.  

I have a mask that is two layers of fabric making it easier to hold a filtering media between the layers.  I have seen fashioning a mask from a HEPA vacuum bag or using cuts of the bag as a filter.  Coffee filters have been suggested also.  Right now, I am using filters I have taken from a respirator mask.  

A word about wearing latex or nitrile gloves from CDC and WHO.  

While wearing gloves makes sense while disinfecting the high-touch surfaces and objects at home, they probably shouldn’t be worn in public for protection. “Regularly washing your bare hands offers more protection against catching COVID-19 than wearing gloves. “

Gloves are both difficult to use and remove -inverting them- without causing some contamination.  

End NOTE:  Most of us are not experts on mattes of COVID-19.  I surely don’t claim to be. I am a secondary-source researcher.  Where do we turn to get instruction?  Professionals among us.  Trusted investigative journalists.  And Google, or course!  Many searches lead to You Tube.  When looking for answers, always review multiple sources.  Look for sources that are current, as information on this topic is changing constantly. Look for advice from those with relevant life experience, and especially seek people with expert credentials.