COVID-19: Nonprofits Making Masks
A Practical Series on Issues Facing Nonprofits During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Homemade Face Masks
I have deep family roots in germ-phobia. My grandmother woke predawn most mornings to clean the house before she went to work. When she passed, the Rabbi asked about her hobbies and the family agreed, her favorite was cleaning. So maybe for that reason, I am interested in the efforts popping up to sew homemade surgical masks and how nonprofit organizations can evaluate these opportunities.
I worked in medical aid for the last 15 years and often heard the expression, “well, this is better than nothing.” In the case of homemade surgical masks, some say this may be a correct attitude. There is a glut of information (listed below) on making masks and thoughts on efficacy. Some very important health institutions like Providence Saint Joseph’s, Deaconess and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota are participating in these efforts. Some of the projects below utilize hospital grade materials and 3D printing.
The CDC issued guidance to “optimize supplies of facemasks” including use of homemade masks in a worst case scenario. Plus, a study from 2013 published in Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness suggests homemade masks can have a role to play during a shortage, but are a last resort measure. Specifically saying, “An improvised face mask should be viewed as the last possible alternative if a supply of commercial face masks is not available…” A caveat to the articles and posts below is that there is little discussion of covering the whole face including the eyes.
Here are some questions that go through my mind when evaluating a mask production program:
- Do my organization’s healthcare partner’s need and want homemade masks?
- How can my organization help in ways that the medical professionals we serve deem safe and effective?
- Does my organization have the volunteer pool that can produce these masks with quality?
- Can we create a protocol where the masks are produced using the principles of social distancing and following shelter-in-place orders?
- How can we procure the materials and patterns to fulfill my healthcare partner’s needs?
Below is a selection of articles, videos and blogs related to homemade masks:
Billings doctor finds inventive way to help with shortage of medical masks
Blue Cross joins Allina to launch skilled volunteer effort to create masks for hospitals and clinics
Calling All People Who Sew And Make
Hospital sews makeshift masks to combat shortage
Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of Facemasks