BOISE, Idaho — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an official recommendation urging all Americans to cover their face with cloth or fabric based coverings when out in public.
According to their guidelines, cloth face coverings should—
- fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- be secured with ties or ear loops
- include multiple layers of fabric
- allow for breathing without restriction
- be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
The idea is that by using a simple cloth face covering, it will slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
On the CDC's website they offer instructions for easy to make facial coverings using simple items around your household. But for people, like Julie Hamilton, an avid quilter, she put her sewing skills to the test making a face mask for her, her daughter, a healthcare worker and others like her.
Julie says as soon as she heard about the face mask shortage, “concern for her [daughters] well-being as well as for the other healthcare providers" ready to make some masks, Julie hit the internet and found a Youtube tutorial teaching her the pattern and in one weekend made 32 masks.
All 32 masks were donated to two seperate retirement homes in the Treasure Valley, " I just have a feeling it’s better to give than to receive...I’m not asking for I’m not charging people for these I’m making them because I know of the benefit they have."
Julie, a full-time employee with the Idaho State Police tells 6 On Your Side that she will continue to sew as many face masks in her free time as possible and she'll continue her work and donating her products for healthcare workers until they are no longer needed. Right now, she's using scrap fabric from her quilting projects and has used fabric donated by friends and family.
