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Amid the continuous rise of infected cases, wearing a facemask has become part of public etiquette. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 3 announced people would be required to wear masks when in public, contradicting their earlier claim that such actions would be ineffective. Due to a global shortage of masks, people began to make their own masks. However, the effectiveness of the homemade masks is still scientifically unproven.
When people think about the shape of the face mask, the rectangular form is normally what comes into mind. However, the designs are no more limited to one particular form. In Italy, Barbara Palombelli, an Italian journalist, has shared one way of creating DIY face masks through the baking paper. People inhabiting Peru's Amazon jungle cover their faces with banana leaves as an alternative method to handle the virus. People now utilize daily life products such as plastic containers or garbage bags to make masks in response to the mask shortages.
Also, some researchers argue that the effectiveness of homemade masks depends on the type of fabric. According to Medical News Today, a study reveals that “a sheet of tightly woven cotton — of 600 threads per inch — plus two sheets of chiffon, made from polyester and spandex, seemed to make the most effective combination, filtering out 80–99% of the particles, depending on their size.” However, it is important to be aware that those handmade face masks are not completely effective. The CDC has emphasized following other precautions as well, such as washing hands and proper social distancing to enhance its effectiveness.
The global shortage of facemasks has encouraged people to devote themselves to making homemade masks as an alternative. Despite the unproven possibility of homemade masks to prevent viruses, scientists demand the public wear them since something is better than nothing.
Written by Sooyoun Kim | Staff Writer
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