Also want to add, I have read that some US hospitals are taking donations of cloth masks made by volunteer groups and medical staff will wear them outside of their medical-grade masks - in order to increase life and re-usability of their higher-grade masks.
this ^^^ At the source (Hardware stores, medical supply stores, online retailers, whole sale retailers etc) they could have stopped normal people from buying the N95, reserving it for those whose professions necessitates it.
The lack of masks is also political. China makes over half of the entire world’s mask supply but they have been hoarding it for themselves since the corononavirus outbreak there.
From this morning: White House task force actively discussing whether public should be wearing masks, Fauci says White House task force actively discussing whether public should be wearing masks, Fauci says - CNNPolitics
I agree. Making cloth masks for personal use is the best way to go.They can be washed and reused. Considering how long this pandemic might last, it will be disastrous for frontline workers if each one of us tried to get our hands on the single use disposable ones. Let’s not try to hoard on N95 or surgical masks, let’s hope common sense and compassion will prevail. I also want to add that the extensive production and use of masks in countries like China, Korea and Japan has cultural and other reasons like air pollution. Women in these countries wear masks if they need to run to the grocery store and do not have time to put on makeup. It is rude to step out without make up in these cultures. They have also dealt with SARS/ MERS before, So automatically the production of masks is a lot higher in Asian countries and they need not worry about shortages as much as western countries do. People seem to forget that. Time for us to use our sewing skills !
One thing I dont understand is WHO agreed that infected should wear them.. which means virus struggles to go through their masks... which in turn means it will also struggle to get into ours. Contradicting themselves. Also, people who are coughing are not ideally responsible always.. I have seen people cough like they are paid to cough over people's faces. Yet, I believe there is shortage of masks and general public hoarding will put health workers at risk which would make things even more worse. So I have not bought any.
@heron @shravs3 I don't think any one can buy - even those who were trying from a few weeks ago. The solution is to make them: Opinion | It’s Time to Make Your Own Face Mask
There have been lots of ideas for the bendable metal piece on the nose, that is to be an insert for the mask. Paper clip, hanging file-folder metal, pipe cleaner, bread-bag-tie etc... Here is another one that works rather well. The aluminium of a softdrink/beer can. You can cut the top & bottom off a can, and use the aluminium foil from the middle as a flexible metal piece for the mask. You would need to fold the metal (double the thickness) foil to make a good nose-reinforcement for the mask. A trifold is too thick.
One should never blindly accept what other or others say about such life saving ways and reduction in risky and spread and deaths. 2. It follows, that by taking additional steps not considered necessary by authorities, the individuals concerned use their own analysis and discretion. 3. Home made masks or surgical one, reported reduced the spread as well as total number of deaths in high mask wearing culture prevailed in China japan. 4. Let us make one if not available and sport it from this moment. 5. In Tamil Nadu many cottage industries started making simple one and distributing in large scale to the needy either free or reasonably priced at ₹10 or so. 6. Let some other body or bodies prevail good wisdom on Government or President about the effectiveness or otherwise of wearing masks ordinary or surgical. Media reports Chins has a huge stockpile of masks ready to be exported as donation to other affected continents and is going to be in the forefront of largest economies of the world in future . 7. The link Masks Save Lives - COVID-19 Stated ibid is an interesting need. Thanks and Regards.