WHY WEAR A MASK?

The most powerful thing you can do to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community is to shelter in place and stay home. 

If you do need to leave the house it is very important you practice strict social distancing, a minimum of six feet apart and practice good hand and face hygiene.  

An added strategy we can all take to decrease the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is to mask up whenever we do leave the house.  

The reason to mask up is to protect those around you from you. When we talk, when we laugh, when we cough, we emit tiny droplets. These droplets can contain infectious virus. COVID-19 may have very mild symptoms, or even no symptoms at all, yet we can still transmit infection to others. 

When you are out in public, MASK UP, FAIRBANKS!

MASKING 101

The most important part of MASKING UP is covering your nose and mouth when in public. You don't need medical masks or to be an expert seamstress to start masking up today.

Resources:

• CDC recommends community masking, read more here. 
• CDC mask recommendations and mask ideas here.
• See Alaska DHSS's health alert with masking info here.

Mask Alternatives
Simple and easy alternatives to masks:

• No-Sew Face Mask (instructions & video)
• Scarves
• Balaclavas
• Bandannas 

Washing Your Masks
Wash your mask by washing in HOT water with detergent, and dry on HOT.

Why Not Use a Medical Mask?
Medical masks serve a different purpose than homemade cloth masks.

Medical masks serve the role of protecting health care personnel who have to get in close proximity to people who are sick.

With attention to social distancing, no one out in public should be in that situation.

Homemade masks are an added strategy you can use to limit the spread and protect our community. The homemade mask is designed to help you keep your germs to yourself by limiting the spread of droplets that come out of your nose and mouth when you talk, laugh, and cough.

• How to Sew a Mask (Printable Instructions)
• How to Sew a Face Mask with a Flexible Nose (Video)
  the video is called surgical masks, but these masks are not meant for a medical environment
• How to Sew a Close Fit Mask (Video)

Above are only a few of the many great resources on how to make masks for the community. To make the safest and most effective masks please adhere to these important do's and don'ts when making masks to donate:

• Avoid making masks if you are sick or think you might be getting sick. 
• Avoid making masks if you have been told you have a multi-drug resistant organism like MRSA or C. diff., or if you have any open or draining wounds. 
• Keep all face mask materials away from household pets. 
• Be sure the area in which you are working is clean (clean all surfaces with a disinfectant) before making masks. 
• And, be sure to perform hand hygiene before touching mask materials. 
• If you are sharing the community masks you are making with others, masks should be washed before wear.

Before You Pick Your Pattern and Supplies … Read These Mask-Making Fundamentals 

• The face covering fabric should be tightly woven fabric such as quilter's cotton. If you can see through it, it is not tightly woven. 
• Preshrink the face covering fabric by washing in hot water and drying on highest setting.
• The pattern you choose may vary yet the mask should be at least two layers. Some designs use three layers with a pocket for filter fabrics.  
• The fit you are striving for includes adequate chin to nose coverage. Some designs include inserting a bendable wire across the nose bridge. Designs with wire include instruction on what types of wire work well.
• It is helpful to define the outward facing and inward facing side in some way to help the user avoid flipping sides between use. This is easily accomplished by choosing different fabrics for each side.  
• The strap designs also vary with the pattern and people who wear masks for prolonged periods tend to prefer fabric tie straps to elastic that goes behind ears.
• Choose designs with your end user in mind and with consideration for materials on-hand.  Elastic is getting hard to find at the present time.

MAKE TO DONATE MASKS

Foundation Health Partners and FNSB Fairbanks Area Community Emergency Response Team are partnering to provide education, collection, sanitation and distribution of donated hand-sewn fabric masks for the community.

We have instructions and recommended videos for those who wish to make-your-own or make-to-donate.  

Make-to-donate masks will be collected, sanitized and distributed by the FNSB Fairbanks Area Community Emergency Response Team.

For collection and questions, please contact Communitymasks@gmail.com