PRODUCTION
AND PROTECTION
HAND
MADE FACE MASKS
DURING
PANDEMIC COVID-19
INTRODUCTION
"Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or
carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or
unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death."
By: Dr. TEDROS
The COVID-19 is
pandemic globally and affects many of the people in the world. As per information, there is no vaccine available for the disease against Virus so the protective
measures should be adopted according to the current situation.
There are the
followings adaptive measures:
➤Wash
your hand often
➤Don’t
touch your mouth and eyes
➤Wear
a mask.
➤Don’t
go outside without any reason.
➤Maintain
social distance.
➤Don’t
close to each other.
➤Have
some good diet and food that boost your immune system.
➤Have
some vitamin C food like lemon etc.
➤Have
some hot drinks like Green Tea.
The Covid-19
affects developing countries more because they have less source and low Economic
level. So, in this global pandemic situation the masks (handmade face masks)
are more effective to restrain the spread of the virus. Sound’s Good!
So, here we go!
Handmade Face Masks
Handmade masks
are made up of textile material (cotton). It protects you from virus-laden droplets emerges during coughing and sneezing and against Air pollution (usually smog). The hand made face masks are more useful in
developing countries and use by health workers. It is your personal protective
equipment in case of a shortage of surgical masks and respirators. These masks
are also used by the household person, sick person, and community to reduce the
spread of disease and air pollution. These masks are also used when there is no
social distance like in markets, shops, and other crowded places.
How
these masks are formed?
Cloth face
masks contrast with surgical masks and respirators such as N95 masks are
made up of non-woven fabric formed through a melt-blowing process and are
regulated by their effectiveness.
Three
layered masks of different material
Tow spun-bond
polypropylene layers are present which is effective for adequate
filtration and breathability.
Parameters
1.
Filtration
2.
Breathability
The filter quality factor is called as Q is commonly used as an integrated filter quality
indicator. It is a function of filtration efficiency and breathability with higher
values indicating better performance. Expert recommended Q factor should be 3
or higher.
Surgical Mask vs Handmade
Masks
The surgical
masks and respirators such as the N95 mask are more expensive and cost a lot of money. In contrast to that, the handmade masks have the following
benefits as:
➤They
are made up of (cotton) textile with the highest filter quality factor of 7.6(kpa-1).
➤ It
is washable.
➤ It
is reusable.
➤ From an economic point of view, it has further two important factors.
1. It
can maintain your budget.
2. If
you made this mask on your own on a small/ large economic scale so that you can earn from them.
➤ It
can reduce the waste products and thus control the pollution and reduce the
spread of disease.
➤ It
is easy to make.
➤ It
is according to your face size and can easily be adjusted.
➤ It
is easily wearable.
➤ It
is a source of business for you.
Recommendations
WHO World
Health organizations recommend this to control disease where social distancing
is not maintained. US center for disease control, JOHN HOPKINS university
school of medicine, The Mayo Clinic, Cleveland clinic are also recommended the
use of handmade face masks.
Do like, comment, and share.
Thanks
Regards:
Saleha Zulfiqar Ansari
