Remember shelter in place and staying home are the most effective ways to prevent the spread, but for when you do need to go out in public, MASK UP FAIRBANKS!

FHP resources for community masking can be found here.

Below is a transcript of Dr. Mark Simon's video on creative ways to mask in public places:

Hi my name is Mark Simon, I’m an emergency physician at FMH and I wanted to take a moment to talk to you about homemade masks.

Specifically I wanted to talk to those who don’t have a mask and don’t know where to get one. So, why homemade masks?

Well we know COVID-19 is in our community and that it is spreading. The best thing that anyone can do to limit the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home and shelter in place.

If you do have to leave the house we do ask that you practice those recommendations of social distancing, a minimum of 6 feet apart, as well as strict hand hygiene and face hygiene.

And now we are also asking you to wear a homemade mask. The reason for that is to help protect those around you, from you. we know that when we talk, when we laugh, when we sneeze, we emit droplets. These droplets have the potential to carry the virus that causes COVID-19. In addition, we know that people who are infected with COVID-19 can have minimal symptoms or even no symptoms at all and still they're able to transmit that infection to others, hence the homemade masks.

So, I do not have a specifically designed homemade mask, but i do have things around the house that will work perfectly well.

• This is a neckie from JN  2013. Put this on, it covers my nose, it covers my mouth, any droplets that normally spread out into the air are now increasingly contained by the fabric within this mask.
• I have a balaclava, similarly, I can put it on like so, it covers my nose, it covers my mouth and again the fabric helps catch those droplets that are potentially infectious for others.
• I have  a scarf that I can fashion like so, wrap it around, wrap it around and I have again another perfectly designed homemade mask to help limit my potential for spreading infection to others.
• For more information I encourage you to go to the DHSS website or the FHP website for information about homemade masks and what you can do to limit the spread of COVID-19.

So please mask up Fairbanks! Thank you!