Coronavirus: I made a DIY cloth face mask

By Tracy Kyakyo

Working as communications personnel at an infectious disease organisation means doctors and specialists and the World Health Organisation are in my ear all the time. To tell us about this thing, COVID19, that no one seems to be able to crack.

Our grandpa, as he likes to call himself, and all the specialists agree that the vulnerable parts are your "soft parts".

So while working from home, I noticed how much I touched my face, no matter how hard I tried to stop. Strange how I've never noticed my face itches this much.

Since I was indoors, I saw no need for a mask, surgical or otherwise. Only the need to practice handwashing for when I have to go out into the big dirty world.

I know for a fact that these masks and other, personal protective equipment (PPE) are in short supply and are mostly needed by our health workers. Many of them are single-use and thereby could run out soon.

I have also been reading about the effects of non-biodegradable single-use facemasks on the environment. We are fighting COVID and forgetting about the environment, disposing of facemasks anyhow and chocking up our water bodies.

There has been some information suggesting that cloth masks, along with the fact that they can be reused, may be helpful in slowing the spread of COVID19  so I decided to sit at my sewing machine over the weekend an make a few for my family for when they have to leave the house. 

I had to leave the house today to go and voice response messages in our studio at work and decided to try the two-layered cotton mask I made over the weekend. I knew it wouldn't protect me from the virus, but it'd make me more conscious of hand hygiene.

SELF REVIEW: I like that it kept me, for the most part, from touching my mouth and nose. I chose the material carefully because we need all the cute and love spreading in the world during this time. To scratch an eye itch, I had to take off my glasses...which reminded me to wash my hands first at the very least...or sanitise thoroughly (for 20 seconds or more). Back home now. Hands washed, face washed too. #StayHome #StaySafe