Sewing face masks and scrubs for NHS workers - anyone know the facts on this please?

[Pinknbluene]

I keep seeing posts on sewing forums regarding sewing masks and scrubs for NHS workers. I also have seen replies that because the masks won’t be sterile, they won’t be any use.

Does anyone know the facts about this please? I have looked online but cannot find anything.

[Movingnot]

Do you think that if cotton masks were any good they might have got some made already?!

Absolute bullshit, do something else.

[bellinisurge]

I'm a general prepper. There are better things to do with your time and sewing skills.

Even if you can fashion a make shift filter (I happen to have a spare cooker hood filter and I've seen those suggested cut up and used as insets) you need to change the whole thing so regularly - every 20 mins, I've seen- because of droplets from your breath/saliva and wash it on a high heat . And know how to use them properly on your face. And have a proper seal around the mask to avoid droplets getting in at the side.

Hand hygiene and social distancing is more effective.

[Scythrop]

Agree with Movingnot. It’s happening in the US, where some hospitals are accepting/asking for them, but the masks are not ppe.

See www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-cdc-homemade-masks-health-workers-us-cases-a9412801.html

[alittlecloudfloatinginthesky]

I've made a couple, largely because I have a sewing machine, a stash of fabric and craft materials, and am bored when not out at work (key worker, can't work from home).
It's an interesting exercise adapting a pattern to get a mask to fit nicely onto my face... but they really aren't PPE.

[IpeartreeI]

If you wore one whilst painting, they'd probably work well enough to stop paint getting on your nose.

Wearing them to protect yourself against exposure to a virus is of no use and may even make things worse.

An NHS ENT surgeon has recently died of Coronavirus. Medics and nurses need proper PPE or expect more deaths.

[Mrsmorton]

Hi OP. No help for your general question but just to let you know that almost nothing is sterile. When they process instruments for surgery, they manage to make them sterile by sucking the air out and heating them up to very high temperatures.

The gloves and masks that people use aren't sterile. They may have been sterilised at some point (sometimes by radiation) but as soon as they touch the air they're not sterile.

Truly sterile stuff is done by using vacuums and the like. The gloves that most medics use (less surgeons) are not sterile as they live in a box open to air.

[Pinknbluene]

Where in my post did I actually say that I was considering making these?

Perhaps I may have been looking for the facts to point out to others not to waste their time...

Thanks for the answers that didn’t make the assumption that I was about to crack out the fabric and make a delivery of Sound of music styled scrubs with coordinating face masks!

[Mrsmorton]

👀

[CousinKrispy]

I'm glad you asked, OP, as I've seen loads of American sewing friends making these and have wondered if it was worth giving it a go.

[abbey44]

I've been wondering about this, as I've had a request come up on one of my whatsapp groups about making theatre hats - they've said they need to be made from fabrics that can be washed at 60 degrees and must be washed before sending to local A&E. is this just a waste of time and fabric then...?

[trinity0097]

My mum (75) made Dad (69) mask out of a Henry hoover bag for when he has to infrequently leave the house! He says it’s so effective at anything getting in he can’t breathe properly!!!

[TTTs]

You have to change to change PPE between each patient

[trappedsincesundaymorn]

Some sewing companies have been approached to do this...my employers being one of them. There are strict rules in place concerning materials so we are waiting to see how it's implemented. I don't think they are putting requests out for home sewers to get involved though but I could be wrong on that.

[Pinknbluene]

That’s funny, mask including the hoover itself would be genius!

[Pinknbluene]

...yes, loads of people on the American sewing forums saying that they are making them too.

[picklemewalnuts]

Two different professional sewing friends have been approached to make masks. Must be 100% cotton.

[ErrolTheDragon]

There was another thread on which a nurse said hospitals couldn't accept homemade masks or any that anybody happened to have for whatever reason (even proper N95)

[delilahbucket]

It's an American thing and not something suitable for our NHS staff. I wouldn't even bother making them to sell as online marketplaces are not allowing them to be sold. I had it suggested to me to make and sell them as I sew for a living anyway, but I can't work for free and I couldn't bring myself to profit from such circumstances.

[withadivinebeatlesbaseline]

Scrubs would be useful so they can be washed and you can wear ‘clean’ clothes home. We have supplies in hospital but I think GP practices are struggling to get hold of them as they wouldn’t usually have them.
I am going to make some funky hats for us because it will stop me touching my fringe! It’s driving me nuts because it needs cutting!

[ErrolTheDragon]

Professionals being requested to do it is obviously different, they'll presumably be working to a defined spec.

[picklemewalnuts]

One friend is a small operation.
The other is more factory scale.
I'd assume it's some back up plan, or for medics to wear when the see non Covid patients.

[bellinisurge]

Making period pants for women doctors, nurses etc would probably be more use.

[Daffie19]

I've seen these too on fb OP...
Definately not Ppe, plus they'd need to be disposable, and wouldn't offer much protection.

Nice idea though, maybe they would work for non medical reasons / uses.

[Really12345]

Scrubs might be useful though and theatre hats. Masks have to be tested but 100% cotton scrubs and theatre hats may well be useful to Go practices

[AtAt123]

Note that the WHO have said the virus is not air born, I can see the sanity of using a home made face mask for shopping but not for a and e etc. And shopping, its more about stopping any virus that you may pick up on your hands making its way to your mouth/eyes/nose. So I would maybe put a home made mask on before I leave my car, sterilise my trolley and then quickly do my shopping.... making every attempt not to touch my face. But if I did, the mask would be a barrier. As soon as my car was loaded, I would put the mask in a bag to wash. Clean my hands. Drive home. Then another mask to unload the car and wipe the goods down and put away. Then remove mask, wash hands, clothes and both masks and go shower and rinse my sinuses just in case.

Maybe low risk personal carers. I did see local care homes asking for them. Apparently in the short term they can be ironed every 15 minutes to kill bugs and dry them out. Who knows. I did make some up today with my little girl just as a project.