It appears that we are now being told that wearing masks would be a good thing to do. (NOT taking away any of the medical grade masks from the hospitals where they are desperately needed but masks that are made with pieces of cotton cloths.)
In my last post, I had some videos of face masks. On this post, I have examples of making masks from bandanas. (No sewing required.) I tried this myself and not only is it easy to do but it seems very effective.
I just heard Queen Elizabeth on BBC giving an address to the nation. Don't know about anyone else but it moved me to tears. If you look up the definition of the word "sincere" it says this: " free from pretense or deceit, proceeding from genuine feelings". The Queen didn't sign off the address with "Sincerely Yours" but she could have!
Now, not to compare myself with royalty but I feel the same as I write this post. I am sincere in strongly suggesting that we all wear masks. Please, don't take my word that we need to do this. I have a link where this is explained in great detail. It is at masks4all and you can find it just here. Once again, and I cannot say this enough...I am not suggesting that you stockpile medical masks, the N95 ones that should be used by doctors, nurses and hospital workers! (If you have any of those, then take them and donate them to your local hospital!) Don't want to make a mask yourself? I am sure that if you look hard enough you will find that are lots of folks that are making them to either give away or to sell.
As I write this to you, I know of people who have been tested and are awaiting results. The sheriff in our county has just tested positive. I can only guess what people are feeling who have been around him in the past few weeks. Of course, for those who HAVE tested positive, it would not only be a fearful thing for them but also, they have that fear of who they might have infected! (In the USA, one can't be tested unless you show symptoms. I think this is different in other countries.) The governor of Georgia just told us this past week that he didn't know that one could have it unless you were showing symptoms! (Did he not listen to the word "asymptomatic"? Did he tune that out or just not know the meaning of the word? Please, don't get me started on people in politics!)
Here is a photo of our governor with other news (to him.)
(The most extraordinary thing...in her speech, Queen Elizabeth didn't mention the name of the infectious disease not one time, so I have not named it in this post either.)
"My warmest wishes to you all". (THAT is how the Queen ended her speech!)
The Queen's speech moved me to tears too. Particularly when she said 'we'll meet again'. I do hope that a cure is found for this dreadful virus. We aren't being advised to wear masks here but I kind of wish it was advised. Not that I am going anywhere that other people are likely to be. My cupboards fridge and freezer are still reasonably full. If I could only get a proper online shop I wouldn't need to go out until it is all over.
ReplyDeleteThe Center for Disease Control just this past Friday advised the public to wear masks. Not sure if a lot of people noticed this news. There is just so much going on right now, hard to keep up. Stay safe.
DeleteI thought the Queen's speech was very good too and struck just the right note. Thanks for the how-to videos for making a mask without sewing! That's very helpful since I don't have a sewing machine and can't sew anyway, LOL! Canada has not yet made the wearing of public face masks a mandatory requirement (relying instead on social distancing) but will probably do so at some point soon.
ReplyDeleteIt says on that link that I gave you, Masks4all, that it is a good idea to put pieces of cut of t shirts inside the bandana. I still believe in social distancing too, of course, along with the wearing of the face mask! AND washing of the hands, of course!!
DeleteOne thing I'm learning from this virus is that ordinary people seem smarter than a lot of the folk at the top. Our PM is in hospital at the moment- shook hands with a lot of folk first in the early stages- and the Scottish chief medical officer has just resigned after breaking the very rules she urged the public to follow. Twice!!!. You couldn't make it up.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, the ordinary public, to the best of my knowledge, are by and large being very sensible and following the rules.
If you notice the rates of the virus going down in Asia, they are all wearing masks. It just seems like a no brainer to me, we should be wearing masks. Ordinary people, that might be what saves us!
DeleteI'm glad you're following the rules and helping your community by staying home and mask wearing. Take care and know that this too shall pass. I pray daily for my coworkers at the hospital and my family who are also healthcare workers. My son's hospital has 5 covid cases and he and his wife are respiratory therapists on the front line. Holding my breath these days.
ReplyDeleteI am still working 3 days a week, other than that, I am home. I wear a mask at work and I have gotten others to do so also. Time for prayer, my friend, deep prayer. xx
DeleteI saw the governor of Georgia on TV a couple of days ago and was't impressed. Our governor, DeSantis, gives updates every day, I think. He doesn't impress me, either. I think his first name might be Ron, but I'm not sure. I didn't vote for him. I hope you are pleased to know that Carol picked up masks for us today. Her oldest son has a friend who makes them so he got several for us. Mine is pink. I am a pretend bank robber when I put it on--only pretend because Carol won't rob banks with me.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I am glad that you have a mask. Be sure to wash it after wearing and if you read one of the comments below, use the steam iron on it! That is such a good idea.
DeleteThanks for the tips.
DeleteI hope you and your loved ones remain well, Kay.
ReplyDeletePeople must get it through their brains that this is not a joke...that care must be taken...of their own selves...and unselfishly of others. There are far too many folk who are treating this like a joke...it isn't.
Take good care...stay safe and well....best wishes to you all up there, from down here. :)
I almost didn't put that photo of the Governor on that, because I didn't want this post to be flippant but sincere! However, it made me laugh out loud and I certainly needed that laugh. It is NOT a joke, this horrible, horrible thing. I hope you stay safe and well, down under! xx
DeleteI’ve sewn 28 masks this past week which is why I haven’t been able to blog visit. I’ve given the masks out to friends and family. Two of them are undergoing radiation treatment for cancer. I finally ran out of material. Walmart is all out of fabric and thread apparently, according to my sister-in-law who went out to look for some because she wanted to make some too. I ended up giving her the rest of the supply of masks I made. My daughter tells me to expect a box of her fabric remnants so I can make more. And another friend said she’ll give me her husband’s aloha shirt (I’m only looking for 100% cotton). I wonder if he knows. I told her not necessary. I need to take a break for a couple of days from sewing. I’m exhausted and my back started to hurt.
ReplyDeleteAs for states that are not instituting the stay at home order. All are Republicans. Don’t they understand how bad this is? Sigh...
Sigh... Sigh... Sigh....
I wish I could sew, I would be doing the same! As it is, I have made some crocheted masks and gave them to folks I thought needed it most. I think all of them were grateful for them. Take care of yourself, Kay!
DeleteAlthough I was not moved to tears by the Queen's speech, I listened attentively and, like you, found her to be very sincere and sensible.
ReplyDeleteMy Mum's friend who lives on the ground floor in the same house has been making masks for everyone in the house. She gave me and my sister each a mask, too; the white inside is made of linen that used to belong to our grandmother. This friend is a trained nurse and knows exactly how important hygiene is. She said that, after the masks come out of the wash, we should sterilise them with the steam iron. As I always team-iron "everything" after washing, I won't have trouble remembering that!
That is a great idea about using the steam iron on the mask, thank you for that! I crochet my mask with 100% cotton and then, line them folded up cotton handkerchief. I love that the linen inside yours is cloth of your grandmother's. x
DeleteDear Meike, I hope you and yours stay well and healthy. xx
Hello - I do worry that some people will feel even more invincible in a mask and not follow safer social distancing.
ReplyDeleteMy friend has a good pattern that I will follow if the rules change here and we are advised to wear them. Keep safe xx
Perhaps we should make a little sign on our masks..."Keep 6 feet away, this isn't armour!" Just a thought.
DeleteWe WERE advised to wear masks by the CDC. I thought so before they told us to!
I think we are the only country in the world not being told not to.
DeleteWarmest wishes to you too. I think using bandanas is q wonderful way to make masks. Just thinking of the old westerns where cowboys would pull there bandanas up over their noses to protect theirselves where herding cattle makes me think we could do that too. Simple but not a bad idea, I'm thinking.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at that video that I have here, it is astonishing to me that with just a few folds and rubber bands, like much the bandana looks like a face mask! Just tying it behind might help with dust, but it needs to fit snugly around the face. Listen to me, I sound like a doctor! I am not, of course, just someone who cares. xx
DeleteStay healthy, Kay. We'll all get through this.
ReplyDeleteEd! Lovely to see your comment here! You stay healthy too. Take care.
DeleteI’m with you – everyone should wear masks. When China advised the world about the coronavirus on Dec 29 Taiwan kept everyone home and told them to wear a mask. As of last Saturday they had 355 cases and 5 deaths for a population of 24 million. Here in TN with a population of 6.7 million we had last Sat. 3,321 cases and 43 deaths and it must be more today.
ReplyDeleteMy son-in-law is a physician anesthesiologist, very exposed because he anesthetizes the patient when the tubes are placed into the lungs, when they are the most contagious. He was given 4 masks last week and is still using them (the kind you are supposed to use once.) I worry about him. I see young people walking in front of my house in groups, close to each other. I wrote a post on our neighborhood Nextdoor and urged people to wear masks, got about 15 answers, most of them saying no. The latest was a young guy saying masks were for sissies (I guess a good ole' Nashville country music boy.)
I enjoyed watching the Queen. I collect postcards and have several of her when she was a child (very pretty) young woman, etc. I also have a souvenir tin of her coronation that I treasure (also have a china cup of King Edward VII’s coronation that I got at a sale years and years ago.)
Thanks very much for your comment! Since you also live in Georgia, I know you also saw Gov. Kemp tell us that he didn't know that people could get the virus unless they were showing symptoms. Later, he said that he was misunderstood. Whatever.
DeleteI worry about all who are in health care just now and I am praying that they get all the protection that they can. There is a strong resistance to wearing face masks but it just seems to logical to me that we should do so.
I love the Queen, I admire her very much. I thought her speech was extraordinary.
We have a tiny tin from England which is from 1901 and has a photo of King Edward VII on the front of it. Richard got that from his family.
Take care, my friend!
I think wearing masks is a good idea if you are out and about (this is my 20th day in isolation so I don't wear one although I do have a supply that I use ordinarily when doing very dusty work). However we must not forget one of the main ways of transmitting the virus is by picking it up with our hands of anything from a supermarket trolley to a parcel we've just had delivered. If we then touch our face, which is almost inevitable, we can transmit the virus to our eyes or mouth. Consequently washing our hands properly and frequently is just as, if not more, important.
ReplyDeleteStay safe, Kay, good folk are scarce.
YES!! Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!!
DeleteI cannot say that enough!! In fact, there is a great video that I want to put on my blog, so thanks for reminding me!
Stay safe, Graham!
I was so touched by the Queen's speech....My daughter Alice has been making masks for tons of people. I am not going out anywhere....The NYTimes or Wapo? had an article about how well New Zealand is doing in flattening the curve because their government jumped on all the regulations right away...
ReplyDeleteIt is very difficult to think that things could have been so much better if only better decisions were made in the beginning of all this. Still, if we start wearing masks now, perhaps that will help flatten the curve, as they say.
DeleteI knew you would like the speech by the Queen also. Very nice to hear someone speak and to say what they wanted to say without going on and on and on and on...like a lot in the USA wants to do and people just start tuning them out!
Stay safe inside and keep up with your art, you are good!
I just wish she were our Queen. She is just the best. Regarding masks, I hear mixed messages, rather like most things during this time. Our state guy said this, and I quote: "At a press conference in Concord Monday, state epidemiologist Dr. Ben Chan sought to clarify the CDC's recent recommendation on wearing cloth masks in public. Chan stressed that cloth masks are not personal protective equipment. Instead, he said, the masks are intended to protect others from an infected person wearing the mask, and not the other way around. He said the primary way to protect oneself from contracting the virus is social distancing." Odd, strange days we are living through.
ReplyDeleteHello Nan! We still need to practice social distancing AND to wash our hands but I still think it is a good idea to wear a face mask if we have to go out. No matter what Dr. Ben Chan says, I see that the people in Asia wear masks and the virus rates have gone down. That's good enough for me!
DeleteStay safe, Nan. I am sure you don't go out much but for those who are still going out to work (like me!) I will wear a mask. Take care.
He has actually said that it is a good idea just because people don't always show symptoms, so our dil is making some for us!
DeleteThat is great! Wear them if you have to go out, Nan. Be safe. xx
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