Community donates more than 12,000 masks

Posted on April 20, 2020

by Library News

Thanks to the overwhelming community response, more than 12,400 masks were sewn and donated at four Library drop boxes. Now that physician offices are reopening and the Library is accepting materials back, masks should no longer be dropped off at the Library.

New drop off locations:

Bay Park Professional Office Building
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Bin inside doors at Professional Office Building
2751 Bay Park Drive
Oregon, Ohio

ProMedica Health and Wellness Center
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Inside main entrance doorway
5700 Monroe St.
Sylvania, Ohio

Neurosciences Center
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Inside main entrance doorway
2130 Central Ave.
Toledo, Ohio

Levis Commons, Perrysburg Medical Center
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Inside main entrance doorway
1601 Brigham Dr.
Perrysburg, Ohio

ProMedica is grateful to the tremendous response to help sew two different types of masks:

Mask #1

Will be used as covers for the N95 masks that hospital employees wear in rooms or during certain procedures that require a respirator such as an N95 mask. These washable covers will enable employees to use their N95 masks longer by keeping the front of the mask clean. Being able to extend the life of each N95 mask is very important at this time due to a national shortage of those masks. The donations of this type of mask cover will enable our health system to prolong the use of our current N95 mask supply and keep our front-line healthcare workers safe.

Mask #2

Will be worn in general areas, not in patient rooms. These masks are NOT for use during the direct care of a patient whose condition requires a mask. Instead, they will be used in general areas by staff and visitors. The community donation of this type of mask will enable us to provide masks for everyone in the general areas without depleting the hospital-acquired surgical masks that are needed for patients.

ProMedica has a process in place to ensure that the masks are cleaned and disinfected before distributing them to others.

Learn How to Make Masks

If you’re wondering how to make a mask to contribute or to wear for yourself we have some resources. If you want to make a mask to donate for ProMedica please visit their website here for guidelines and a pattern before beginning.

A couple things to note before making masks to donate:

  • If you are ill, we want you to focus on your health and well-being. Due to the quick spread of this virus, we ask that you hold off making masks at this time. Also, please remember to maintain social distancing etiquette when making or dropping off masks. We do not want groups of people getting sick.” (ProMedica)
  • If you don’t have material, “please do not feel pressured to continue sewing masks. We don’t want this mask project to create more traffic in stores, because that’s one more potential spread of this virus both for you and for these essential workers.” (ProMedica)
  • Pre-wash fabric as 100% cotton is likely to shrink.
  • “The community donation of these masks will enable us to provide masks for everyone in the general areas without depleting the hospital-acquired surgical masks that are needed for patients. Surplus masks will be distributed to local organizations in need.” (ProMedica)

For individuals, the “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. 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”

If you are interested in wearing a mask in public there are some important steps in ensuring the effectiveness according to the World Health Organization.

  • “Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
  • Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
  • Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
  • Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks.
  • To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.”
  • If you are removing a reusable mask, deposit the mask in a ziploc bag until you are able to wash it.

The CDC has patterns for Sewn Cloth Face Coverings, No Sew T-Shirt Face Covering, and No Sew Bandana Cloth Face Covering.

If you have a Cricut like the Library is utilizing, patterns can be found on the Cricut Design Space by searching Face Mask. There are multiple patterns including a no sew mask, different sizes, and even button ear saver ribbons to help ease ear pain caused by elastic.

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