I wholeheartedly applaud the citizen effort happening right now in Wendell and elsewhere to make homemade masks to protect ourselves and each other amid the growing COVID-19 pandemic. If everyone had masks to wear, we could cut down on the inadvertent spread from droplets that come out of people’s mouths, whether or not they are symptomatic.
It is known that people without symptoms can spread this disease at least several days before they show symptoms, which means that we can’t know who is carrying it.
South Korea has helped to “flatten the curve” by requiring everyone wear masks when out in public. The disinformation campaign in the U.S. regarding the use of masks is deplorable, and will need to be walked back once an adequate supply comes online for our country. In the meantime, people are already thinking and acting for themselves.
In Wendell, they are making cloth masks out of recycled clothing. Wouldn’t it be an interesting for the general public to send a message to our national leaders that we are willing to act on their behalf even when they are not acting on ours by sending them some of the masks we make?
Even though I am female, I have an aversion to domestic skills including sewing, but am looking into creating simple paper masks out of “pee pads” which have a plastic backing and absorbent cotton layer which I can make by cutting into rectangles, folding accordion style, and stapling on string or ribbon for closure.
I can distribute most of them locally and also may very well send some to our representatives, including President Trump. In solidarity…
Betsy Ames
Northampton