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How to Wear a Cloth Face Covering
Cloth face coverings should—
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fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
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be secured with ties or ear loops
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include multiple layers of fabric
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allow for breathing without restriction
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be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to the shape
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CDC on Homemade Cloth Face Coverings
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
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CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
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Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
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The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
Sew and No Sew Instructions
Materials
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Two 10”x6” rectangles of cotton fabric
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Two 6” pieces of elastic (or rubber bands, string, cloth strips, or hair ties)
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Needle and thread (or bobby pin)
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Scissors
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Sewing machine
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Tutorial
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Sewn Cloth Face Covering
1. Cut out two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric. Use tightly woven cotton, such as quilting fabric or cotton sheets. T-shirt fabric will work in a pinch. Stack the two rectangles; you will sew the mask as if it was a single piece of fabric.
2. Fold over the long sides ¼ inch and hem. Then fold the double layer of fabric over ½ inch along the short sides and stitch down.
3. Run a 6-inch length of 1/8-inch wide elastic through the wider hem on each side of the mask. These will be the ear loops. Use a large needle or a bobby pin to thread it through. Tie the ends tight.
Don’t have elastic? Use hair ties or elastic head bands. If you only have string, you can make the ties longer and tie the mask behind your head.
4. Gently pull on the elastic so that the knots are tucked inside the hem. Gather the sides of the mask on the elastic and adjust so the mask fits your face. Then securely stitch the elastic in place to keep it from slipping.
Sewn Cloth Face Covering
Materials
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T-shirt
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Scissors
Tutorial
Sewn Cloth Face Covering
Materials
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Bandana (or square cotton cloth approximately 20”x20”)
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Rubber bands (or hair ties)
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Scissors (if you are cutting your own cloth)
Tutorial
