Make Your Own Face Mask At Home and The Importance of Wearing One
When around people who do not live in your household or in public settings it is highly recommended that you should wear a face mask. However, with face coverings becoming mandatory in most areas now, it may be hard to find one or you may just want one with a more personal touch… so why not make your own for free!
Where should I be wearing a face mask?
Most public places will require you to wear a face mask from 24th July 2020 and those who fail to wear a mask could be fined up to £100, or £50 if they pay within 14 days. These places include:
- Shops
- Shopping centres
- Supermarkets
- Banks
- Building societies
- Post offices
- Any form of public transport
- Cafes and restaurants where you are buying to take away
- Hairdressers and beauty salons
The rules right now are that a face mask is not required where it is impractical to do so:
- Restaurants and cafes (sitting down to eat)
- Pubs
- Gyms
Who should wear a face mask?
You should be wearing a mask in all public settings unless you are any of the following:
- A child under the age of 11
- Someone who has difficulty breathing
- Unable to put on or remove a mask without assistance
- Someone who relies on lip-reading to communicate
Importance of wearing a face covering
You must wear a face covering at all times on public transport or when attending a hospital. You should, when possible, wear a face covering in all public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible and where you come into contact with people from outside of your household.
Face masks are an important part of infection control and help to limit an individual from contracting any infectious germs in the air. Face coverings act as a simple physical barrier to decrease the number of germs passed between you and others by reducing the depositing of droplets of a virus on surfaces and to people near you, which is currently a key factor in reducing the spread of Coronavirus.
To find out more about staying safe outside your home click here.
How to make a face covering at home…
We have based this method on CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations. Please remember cloth face coverings are not surgical masks or N95 respirators, which are critical supplies for healthcare workers and other front-line workers.
What you will need:
- Find yourself an old t-shirt or bandana and cut out two pieces (approx.. 20”x20”)
- Rubber bands or hair ties
- Scissors
Follow these 4 simple steps…
Make sure…
- You are washing your hands thoroughly before touching or putting on your face covering
- Your nose and mouth are completely covered
- Your face covering is secure on your ears and fits snugly on the sides of your face
- Your face-covering includes more than one layer of material
- You can breathe easily without restriction when wearing your face mask
- Avoid touching the part of the face-covering that comes into contact with your mouth or nose, as it could be contaminated with the virus
- Your mask can be washed regularly without damage (you can include your mask in your regular laundry)
Having trouble with your glasses steaming up?
- Put your glasses over your mask, rather than under
- Put a tissue on the inside of the mask to absorb excess escaping moisture
- Try an anti-fogging spray
We hope you are all staying safe during this pandemic and make sure you are still carrying out social distancing measures put in place by the government, a face covering is not a replacement for these measures.
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