Can you sew? Can you cut out fabric? Help us supply health care workers with masks!
We have heard from our friends, neighbors and health care workers about the unacceptably low supply of masks and other items that keep our caregivers safe. Still, doctors and nurses continue working to save lives.
The KidZone Museum can connect you – sewers and helpers – to make masks for the caregivers of Tahoe Forest Hospital and Renown Health.
Our volunteers have worked closely with the infection control representatives at each hospital and taken direction from them to design and meet their mask requirements.
Do it yourself (DIY) masks are not as good as surgical masks and the N95 respirator, but hospitals want them. They plan to use DIY masks to beef up what they have in stock in case of a shortage. Currently, most medical-grade masks are being diverted to New York City.
Our hospitals want to be prepared, and they will use DIY masks for less risky environments and save the medical-grade masks for high-risk situations. We are relying on their protocol and expertise.
The community at large (sewers and hospitals) have researched the best design for a DIY mask and has researched the effectiveness of adding a non-woven interfacing as a liner to help block small microns (still not better than a N95 or surgical mask). The DIY mask qualities and guidelines include:
- Breathability, wearability, effectiveness, good seal, adjustability
- Fit over N95 masks
- Use alone as an emergency mask, per hospital policy
- Have a filter pocket
- Wire nose bridge with a tight fit to seal
To sew masks for Tahoe Forest Hospital, contact Heather Elledge, our Distribution and Sewing Coordinator for Tahoe Forest.
To sew masks for Renown Health, contact our Distribution and Sewing Coordinator for Renown Elaine Baier.
They will collect your contact information and provide instructions for making the masks. Both are aware of the needs of their respective hospitals and delivery requirements.
For general information, contact Karla at karla@kidzonemuseum.org. Please help us spread the word by sharing this message with a friend.
If you can cut out patterns for others to sew, or you have interfacing or elastic to donate, contact our coordinators.
