I believe that this is the best mask for home made PPE. Everyone has now seen the CDCs declaration on home made PPE. It is only supposed to be used in dire and last resort situations. Well, we’re pretty close to that. What is PPE? It is personal protective equipment. I have been an ICU nurse for 30+ years. I have been in many situations where an infectious patient with an unknown infectious agent or a known infectious agent has required significant isolation. I know a thing or too about technique. The best face mask is an N95.
Annually nurses, doctors and other health care professionals that come into contact with patients must be subject to a “fit test”. This takes about 30 minutes in which the provider wears an N95 that is connected to a hose. Particular matter is suspended in the air and the tube that is connected to the mask warn by the provider senses whether or not that particular matter is entering through any part of the mask. It is a somewhat drawn out ordeal, because sometimes you don’t pass the fit test and they have to start all over with a different size mask. They make you turn your head back and forth, up and down and talk and do different maneuvers to see if the mask will remain occlusive.
This mask, above, that I have designed simulates a good fit that is occlusive. It will not prevent you from getting COVID. Even an N95 mask will not guarantee that you won’t get the Corona Virus. But, the protection is good. It keeps you from getting splashes on your face, and the sides are occlusive. It also protects others. There is no filter in this mask, but to my knowledge people have been using everything from a dried up wet wipe to coffee filters to filter their masks. There is no science behind any of this. This mask however, checks all of the boxes that the CDC has put into place for home made PPE.
Please watch the video so that you can see how this is made. The pattern is available also on this website under shop. Once you purchase it you can share it far and wide. I am not “profiting” from this but I can assure you that I have spent hours helping people make these and designing this to get it just right.
