Mask Production

When the corona virus hit us in January, we scrambled to find masks.  Beginning in Hong Kong, then online, then through friends and relatives in USA, Canada, …, all over the world.  A student from Indonesia helped us ship hundreds of boxes (50 masks each) from Indonesia to Hong Kong.  At one pint, I was part of a team that owned 20,000 masks.  Within a couple of weeks, they were mostly gone, to family, colleagues, friends, students, janitors, and anyone who need them.  

Soon, the virus hit Italy, Europe, …, USA, and essentially the whole world is crying out for masks and other forms of help.  

From the beginning, my wife felt that single-use masks is not a sustainable way to deal with the virus.  She started to make her own multi-use cloth masks, using my old shirts, T-shirts, and other material.  I learned that the outer layer should be made water resistant, with wax.  The middle layer is the filter.  The inner layer should be soft to the touch - cotton.  There needs to be a stout yet pliable wire to fit the nose bridge.  You also need elastic bands of the right shape and strength to tie the mask to the ears.  Everything has to be sourced and tested, repeatedly until it is perfect. 

Our living room has turned into a mask factory.  At least a workshop. 

But now we can supply our daughters and relatives in the USA with multi-use masks.  And just in time.  Where some of them live, masks are forbidden - even for medical doctors. It sounds ludicrous but is a fact - I learned from my sister-in-law who is a medical doctor. Presumably the authorities want to save the masks for the frontline health workers dealing directly with the patients stricken with the corona virus.  Hopefully, people are allowed to wear home-made masks since it will not affect the supply for those on the frontline.  

I cannot sew.  But i can help with cutting up my shirts and the metal wires.  We are doing what we can to fight the virus.  It feels good to be able to do something constructive.  Surely God wants us to be positive and constructive.