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What exactly are the new county mandates regarding face masks?

According to the latest updates on Friday, face coverings are required for workers in five types of essential industries: grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacy and drug stores, gas stations and restaurants (which are only open for take-out).

Beginning today, the general public is being asked to cover their lower face while doing essential shopping, banking, errands and exercise. Although the masks for the general public are — at least for now — optional, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is strongly urging the public to mask up.

Beginning Monday, a new county health order will go into effect regarding outdoor recreation, which should also be done wearing a mask.

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But won’t banks and convenience stores think I’m a robber if I show up in a mask?

Calls to 7-Eleven and Bank of America’s corporate offices went unanswered on Friday. But a Mission Federal Credit Union employee said on Friday that customers wearing face masks will be allowed inside its branches. For the latest social distancing measures and security reasons, only a few customers will be admitted to branch offices at a time.

What kind of face coverings are allowed?

The best masks, hospital-grade N95 masks, are as hard to find as hen’s teeth in San Diego. If you have hoarded a stock of these babies, do front-line workers a favor and donate them at your nearest medical center treating COVID-19 patients.

County officials say the mask must cover the nose and mouth, but it can be homemade or it can be a bandana, scarf or neck gaiter. In a pinch, the California Department of Public Health said even a T-shirt, sweatshirt or towel wrapped around your face will work. The key is to find a fabric that can fit snugly around the face and can be easily washed and reused.

Can a cloth face mask reduce my chance of contracting the disease?

California health officials say there’s only limited evidence that cloth face coverings worn in public can reduce transmission of the disease. But a mask worn by an asymptomatic disease carrier could reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when they speak, cough or sneeze. Combined with sheltering at home, social distancing of 6 feet or more and hand-washing, a mask can be part of an overall defense practice.

Which type of cloth materials work the best at filtering particles?

A 2010 study published in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene compared how well cloth masks made from T-shirt and other materials blocked the penetration of aerosol particles that could contain a virus. It found that cloth masks varied in success with a penetration rate ranging from 40 percent to 86 percent. In general, masks that provided a better fit for the lower face and that were made out of thicker materials, like sweatshirt fabric and towels, fared better in blocking particles.

What style and shape of mask is the best kind to wear?

Opinions vary, but masks that allow some breathing room around the nose and mouth will reduce water vapor build-up. Many medical workers in San Diego have also said that masks with elastic bands that stretch around the ears can cause soreness. Masks with cloth or string ties are most comfortable for long-term use.

Some masks with a pocket gap around the mouth and nose can be fitted with a filter, which increases their effectiveness. And many nurses are recommending adding a disposable layer of toilet paper or tissue to the inside of the mask to reduce moisture buildup.

Kaiser Permanente has put out its own mask-making pattern for the public. It’s a surgical-style, pleated rectangular mask made from two-ply cotton blend/jersey material with cloth ties. It can be found online at about.kaiserpermanente.org.

What’s the best way to wash my cloth mask?

The mask should be washed daily in very hot soapy water. Additional application of a spray disinfectant capable of killing the coronavirus may also help. The Environmental Protection Agency has a 15-page searchable list of approved disinfectants known to kill the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. That list can be found at: epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2.

Where can I purchase a face mask?

The easiest place to find homemade cloth masks for sale is on the online artisans marktplace Etsy.com, where cloth masks made by individual vendors start at $5.99 and range up to $30, plus shipping charges.

Amazon offers a wide variety of disposable and cloth masks for sale, but deliveries are now backed up until late April for cloth masks and as late as June 5 for disposable masks. Cloth and disposable masks are also being sold at some retail stores, like Walgreens, but they’re hard to find. Home Depot has a wide variety of masks on its website, but most are out of stock.

Since mid-March an army of local seamstresses, craft guilds and high-tech workers have sprung into action, volunteering their time to make mountains of free cloth masks. But because demand has far outpaced supply, many of these groups’ initial output has been prioritized for donation to healthcare workers, public safety workers, the elderly, the disabled and the homeless.

Some seamstresses recommend checking the Nextdoor app to see if neighbors in your community are making and selling masks.

What if I’m looking for a mask that makes a fashion statement?

San Diego fashion designer Kenneth Barlis is selling a limited-edition cloth face mask for $5 on his website, kennethbarlis.com, though supplies are sold out for now. All mask sale proceeds will go toward local and long-term care facilities.

Local drag performer Paris Sukomi Max has also been making masks, many with stylish Disney and rainbow themes, but they’re all going to health care and community members in Hillcrest. Max also recently hosted live online tutorials for making masks at home on Facebook (facebook.com/parissukomi) and Instagram (instagram.com/parissukomimax/).

How can I make my own mask?

On Thursday evening, local seamstresses Leanne Hu and Lauren Ann launched the Facebook page Make-a-Mask San Diego (facebook.com/MakeaMaskSD). It offers downloadable patterns for three different mask styles as well as video tutorials for making masks with any skill level. The simplest and quickest mask tutorial uses just a folded cotton bandana and two elastic hair ties with no sewing required. It can be assembled in 45 seconds.

How can I help out the community by sewing masks for the needy?

Several large groups of big-hearted seamstresses have sprung up on Facebook, with volunteers making masks mostly for high-risk groups, family and friends. The pages offer sewing patterns and free or discounted cloth sewing kits as well as coordination for drop-offs and distribution. The groups include the nearly-1,000-member Project Masks: Southern California COVID-19 Mask Making, the 890-member Uniting with Homemade Masks — San Diego County and the 537-member San Diego Crochet, Knitting, and Crafting Circle. These are closed groups, so new members will need to send a message to apply.

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