Let's all start making homemade masks...

Population of Czech Republic 10.65 million
Deaths 208

Population of UK 66.65 million
Deaths 18100

www.fast.ai/2020/04/13/masks-summary/

You don't even need a sewing machine to make a simple one.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1aIJ-GC2PU

Am not sure what the reproductive rate of the virus is... but if everybody with a sewing machine or a bit of craft know-how got to it, perhaps we could soon beat this thing...

Wearing masks would certainly have an impact. Excellent ideas! Time people weighed up the evidence and took some action.

Until they get proper testing in place for everyone (see that flying pig?), we should wear masks to protect others in case we' could be incubating it. Especially when social distancing isn't possible, for instance on public transport.

@Daisymae

Please forward the video on to friends and family, post on other websites and if you've got a sewing machine, just get cracking...

There are a number of studies online Daisiemae. I put in “cloth facemasks any good” and it came up with results from studies over the last ten years or so.

Unfortunately most trials showed that cloth masks only filtered out about 5% of contagious particles.
I think it was fine linen that gave the 5% result, Silk was no good at all.

Interestingly lining a cloth mask with vacuum cleaner bag made them more effective.

www.damerousky.cz/

In the Czech republic they set up a website for people to make and trade homemade masks near each other, as some people may have the know how to do this more than others like art students... we could do that here surely...

@Eglantine21

Science is contradictory, but the video suggested a homemade mask which would probably cost a £1 managed to contained about 95 percent of the virus... seems a small investment.

In the Czech Republic, they produced 10million masks in 3 days.

Absolutely if it works.

It wasn’t just one study I found but several ranging from one done in the last six weeks in China to one done just over 10 years ago that was the one that tested different fabrics.

I don’t know what studies the Czech government are using.

I suppose my worry is that people will believe they are safe with a cloth mask when the filtration is actually almost negligible.

In much the same way that most people now believe 6ft distancing is a “safe” distance when it’s actually just better than 3ftl

It has been demonstrated that the vast majority of any virus is contained within a mask that's a fact. They reduce spread so why not wear one?

get real. HM masks do not work, a virus is smaller than a photon for goodness sake

Have you actually read any of the studies “Daisiemae*?

Can you post a link to the ones ones you’ve read where it’s been demonstrated that the majority of the virus is contained in a cloth mask.

I haven’t been able to find any.

@Eglantine21

I think we need to do all simple steps we can:

social distancing
wearing a mask when you will be near others
working from home

how about they stop the flights coming into the uk instead, now that would have a good effect

Hepa filters (for vacuum cleaners) are good for protection. Different fabrics are either helpful - or useless:

www.newscientist.com/article/2240288-do-face-masks-work-against-the-coronavirus-and-should-you-wear-one/

There are plenty of videos on YouTube. The mask itself is unimportant really, you can see, knit or crochet one as long as you make it so that it has a pocket to hold a folded kitchen paper sheet or a piece of non-woven fabric.
We are not talking about surgical grade masks here, if a homemade mask is even 80-90% effective it’s better than 0%. as it cuts your virus load.
Health care workers are at such horrendous risk because their viral load is so much greater than the general public’s load.

Sew not see

I do agree with you goldenlady. I’m on total lockdown.

Do you appreciate my worry about false confidence though?

@Eglantine21

I do but I think this is a situation in which we have to faith in humanity.

Hettys article is a good one.

I got it wrong by saying linen. Sorry.

I’m a bit horrified that you think a paper towel is going to do anything Niobe.

Instead of waiting on government inaction, this is something people can do something about of their own volition:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=35NpLveVZDg

Some science:

www.fast.ai/2020/04/13/masks-summary/

Whenever official rule and regs are given to start lifting the lockdown, if wearing masks in public is not made mandatory, I despair!

In my (humble) opinion, what's the point of debating masks, yes or no? Unless it is proved conclusively that the wearing of masks encourages the spread of the virus, then EVERYONE should have to wear one. Whether we are incubating the virus or not, we should be trying to keep others safe all of the time.

Few things to consider? If you can blow out a candle, through your mask, no good. This should make us consider carefully the weave of the fabric we choose.

Cotton is the most absorbent, but not indefinitely - so a fresh mask should be worn after 4 hours.

Kill the virus by always washing masks @ 60 degrees C. minimum and for a minimum of 30 mins in the machine.

Having a pocket in the mask for something like a vacuum cleaner disposable bag or paper coffee filter inside is a good idea.

Mask must cover nose and mouth and best to incorporate piece of pipe cleaner, paper clip, wire, etc., sewn in place inside above nose that can be squeezed to fit bridge of nose, this gives extra fit and protection.

Yes, get those production lines going and stay safe. Very well done, the Czechs!!
Best wishes from a busily sewing town in S of France ??