GA Coronavirus: 4 Ways To Make Face Masks

ATLANTA, GA — Face masks or coverings are suggested by the Centers for Disease Control for anyone shopping at grocery stores or pharmacies, or using mass transit, although they are not required. Several states — including Maryland, New York and New Jersey — have made it mandatory for residents to cover their faces in public. Patch has found four easy ways to make one, complete with illustrations.

Retailing giant Walmart and Sam's Club will require all employees to wear masks or other face coverings starting Monday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, reports USA Today. Shoppers also will be encouraged to wear face masks.

Kroger’s Atlanta Division has instituted mandatory facial mask requirements for workers and has a supply of surgical masks in stock for associates to use. Some stores will start pilot testing mandatory temperature checks at the start of each shift. The tests will begin once the infrared thermometers arrive in the stores.

“Our associates are on the front lines when it comes to ensuring customers have access to fresh food and supplies," said Felix Turner, manager of corporate affairs for Kroger’s Atlanta Division."Their safety has and will remain top priority.”

Kroger has extended the Hero Bonus for hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call center associates. The $2 premium above associates’ standard base rate of pay is being applied to hours worked March 29 through May 2. The premium is disbursed weekly to ensure associates have access to additional cash.

Because the CDC has urged residents to wear masks or other face coverings to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended the state law banning face coverings. The law was enacted to combat the Ku Klux Klan, FOX 5 reports.

The state may have already reached its peak daily deaths, models suggest, as Georgia surpasses 17,500 people testing positive for coronavirus, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

As of Sunday at noon, there have been 687 deaths, 18,301 cases, and 3,464 hospitalizations in Georgia. Deaths make up 3.75 percent of Georgia cases.From the numbers released at noon on Saturday, this is an increase of 632 cases, 44 hospitalizations and 14 deaths.

According to projection data updated Friday released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), Georgia is 11 days past its peak in daily deaths. The IHME model projected April 7, a day that saw 100 deaths, as the peak for the state.

1. Bandanna/Shirt Face Covering (No-Sew Method) from the CDC

Materials Needed:

• Bandanna (or square cotton cloth about 20 by 20 inches)
• Coffee filter (optional)
• Rubber bands or hair ties
• Scissors

Steps:

1. Cut the bottom off the folded coffee filter. Keep the top.
2. Fold your bandanna or shirt in half lengthwise.
3. Fold the cut filter in the center of the folded bandanna/T-shirt. Then fold the bandanna top down and bottom up.
4. Place rubber bands or hair ties around the bandanna or shirt about 6 inches apart.
5. Fold the side of bandanna or shirt to the middle and tuck.
6. Your face mask should be ready to wear.

A step-by-step tutorial of this method with accompanying images is available on the CDC website.

Sewn Cloth Face Covering

Materials

• Two 10”x6” rectangles of cotton fabric
• Two 6” pieces of elastic (or rubber bands, string, cloth strips, or hair ties)
• Needle and thread (or bobby pin)
• Scissors
• Sewing machine

Tutorial

1. Cut out two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric. Use tightly woven cotton, such as quilting fabric or cotton sheets. T-shirt fabric will work in a pinch. Stack the two rectangles; you will sew the mask as if it was a single piece of fabric.

2. Fold over the long sides ¼ inch and hem. Then fold the double layer of fabric over ½ inch along the short sides and stitch down.

2. Quick Cut T-shirt Face Covering (no sew method)

Materials

• T-shirt
• Scissors

Steps:

Cut 7 to 8 inches off the bottom of a T-shirt

Cut a rectangle section out of that material, using the longest portion of fabric as strings.

Tie strings around your neck and over the top of your head.

3. Sewn Cloth Face Covering From The CDC

Material Needed:

• Two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric
• Two 6-inch pieces of elastic (or rubber bands, string, cloth strips or hair ties)
• Needle and thread (or bobby pin)
• Scissors
• Sewing machine

Steps:

1. Cut out two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric. Stack the two rectangles and sew the mask as if it was a single piece of fabric.
2. Fold over the long sides a quarter-inch and hem. Then fold the double layer of fabric over a half-inch along the short sides and stitch down.
3. Run a 6-inch length of one-eighth-inch-wide elastic through the wider hem on each side of the mask. Use a large needle or a bobby pin to thread it through. Tie the ends tightly.
4. Lightly pull on the elastic so the knots are inside the hem. Gather the side of the mask on the elastic to adjust so the fabric fits your face.

While the governor said he had heard from some that this was an infringement on their rights, Hogan said: "Spreading this disease infringes on your neighbors' rights."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued instructions for how to make cloth face coverings.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends that you routinely wash your face masks depending on the frequency of use. A washing machine should do the job to properly clean the fabric, and people should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose and mouth when removing a face covering.

Related:

• CDC Botched Coronavirus Testing Kits: Report
• Eyes Covered, He Can Still Make Pizza For Coronavirus Relief
• GA Coronavirus Update: More Than 18,000 Cases, 687 Deaths