Homemade Face Masks Work
Urge your local officials and business owners to responsibly #mandateMasksNow #masks4all
tldr: Western countries need massive grassroots campaigns to make and wear homemade masks asap

recommendations from Czech experts

German hospitals = cloth mask factories

We didn't always have n95's

criminalization → unrest & shortages


FAQ

Well then why are some experts telling healthy people not to wear masks?

This messaging has been confusing and sometimes wrong. It's true that healthy people should not *buy* medical-grade PPE during a shortage. But it's also true that even cloth masks slows the spread of viruses.

Cool website but ... are any other Americans saying this?

yes
•   Washington Post: Simple DIY masks could help flatten the curve. We should all wear them in public - (no paywall)
•   New York Times: More Americans Should Probably Wear Masks for Protection - (no paywall)
•   Bloomberg: Straight Talk About Masks and Coronavirus Prevention - (no paywall)
•   Science: Would everyone wearing face masks help us slow the pandemic?
•   NY Post: Experts say face masks can help slow COVID-19, despite previous claims

Are any other governments recommending homemade masks?

Yes: the Czech Republic (masks4all), Germany, Slovakia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan *.

What countries have mask mandates right now?

the Czech Republic, Austria , Thailand, China, Singapore (airline crew),

What countries encourage public face mask use in general?

the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Thailand, China, Singapore, Slovakia, Hong Kong, Taiwan ...

Is it working?

Yes, Czech is saying it's dramatically slowed the virus. (March 29)

Sounds anecdotal... I need more data.

Ok here's 37+ published papers

What does China's CDC think?

"The biggest mistake in the U.S. and Europe ... is that people aren't wearing masks."

Do homemade face masks work as well as surgical masks or N95s?

No

So shouldn't I wear hospital-grade masks instead?

No, not while there's a shortage. If hospitals don't have enough, our nurses and doctors will get sick. A shortage of health care professionals right now would make things much much worse. (you get sicker and lose more money)

So why wear them at all?

To dramatically slow the spread of viruses like the flu and COVID19. It's about shifting our perspective from personal protection to community protection.

But what if people touch their faces while adjusting?

It's okay if you accidentally touch your cheek a few times. The point is to keep peoples' spit out of the air. Also, universal masks remind everyone to take this seriously, stay home, and not eat with their fingers.

But we don't have enough, right?

Everyone has an old tshirt or bandana they can use. We need face mask mandates TODAY. When the Czech Republic mandated masks, there was a huge collaborative public effort to make homemade masks. Homes and businesses including theaters and bars.

But my community has fever checkpoints

A third of infections might be asymptomatic. Even if you feel healthy, you need to assume you're contagious and stop breathing directly into air in public spaces without some sort of mask.

Are there any risks to mandating public mask usage?

Yes. In 1918, some cities mandated masks with threat of jail time which probably wasn't smart. Czech police currently *can* fine people not wearing masks, but their main role is advising and educating, which seems to be working well.

Could making masks be a fun thing to do while stuck at home?

Yes -- great point!

Who should I urge to enact universal mask ordinances?

https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

Where can I learn more about making and sharing masks?

But I haven't finished Tiger King

Both Joe Exotic AND Carole Baskin want you to make and promote homemade face masks right now. I promise.

Any other websites for me?

Sure thing:


*we added this link because it demonstrates that the government of Taiwan is supporting cloth mask production.

lets@MandateMasksNow.org • made in Durham and Chapel Hill, NC   • please dont sue us