Easy DIY Facemasks From HEPA Vacuum Cleaner Bags! NO SEWING

Описание: These easy DIY facemasks only require rubber bands, staples, a paper clip, and a vacuum cleaner bag, and could be of help when supplies are low!
Please consider sharing so this might reach someone who needs some to combat the coronavirus!

Here's an idea that my family cooked up today (which is made of engineers and doctors, so we tried our best to do proper research)! A reminder that all homemade DIY devices have unconfirmed efficacy, and that you should always use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) if it's available, especially if you're taking care of sick individuals (either at home or as a healthcare provider). Only use makeshift PPE as a last resort.

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Notes on effectiveness of masks against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19:
It is my understanding that although the virus diameter is smaller than the particle size rating on many filters and facemasks (including N95), it is atypical for individual viruses to slip through the mask, since they do not easily suspend in the air as an aerosol for extended periods of time, and usually travel in a larger medium (like cough droplets). It is exposure to these larger particles containing high concentrations of the virus that cause rapid infection. Facemasks provide protection from these larger particles (surgical, N95, etc), when properly fitted. According to one study, coughs produce a range of particle sizes as small as 8 microns, which can be handled by the masks. (URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/art...)

A single bag was enough material to make four masks at this size (6.5 x 10"). The size of the mask that you cut and fold will likely need to be adjusted to fit snugly on your face for maximum safety and comfort (for longer use). If you're doubting the ability of this DIY mask to achieve a sufficient fit to protect you, keep in mind that minor air leakage occurs even in conventional surgical masks, and this method should be a fairly good backup for barrier protection against larger virus-laden droplets. It is important to note that N95 masks meet a certified fit requirement that is superior to surgical masks or DIY masks. (Link: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topic...)

I have not tested the breathability of the mask described in this video for more than a few minutes. Although the Cambridge study detailed below indicates that vacuum cleaner bags have relatively poor breathability (compared to looser-fitting surgical masks), real N95 masks are also difficult to breath out of, especially if they lack an exhaust valve.

If you don't have paper clips (I don't at my apartment), you can also use twist ties or folded aluminum foil sheet cut into strips. Anything that can hold its shape to keep the mask snug against your nose.

The CDC guidelines for healthcare providers states that "Homemade masks should ideally be used in combination with a face shield that covers the entire front (that extends to the chin or below) and sides of the face." (URL: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-...) If you're regularly in close contact with someone who's sick, you'll need some sort of googles to keep infectious droplets out of your eyes.

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Related Literature from Cambridge (2013)
"Testing the Efficacy of Homemade Masks: Would They Protect in an Influenza Pandemic?" (URL:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/t...)

Filtration efficiency between surgical masks and vacuum cleaner bags is roughly comparable for the two microorganisms tested, one with a diameter of 1 micron, the other 0.023 microns. Approx 96% and 89% filtration efficiency for surgical masks, compared to 94% and 86% for vacuum cleaner bags (See Table 1). For COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2 virus ranges from 0.06-0.1 microns.

For the 0.023 micron tests, using a scarf still had ~50% filtration efficiency, so it's much better than nothing... But still, if you're taking care of infected individuals (either at home or as a healthcare provider), and you run out of proper PPE, you'd probably want your health to have better odds than a coin flip.

Using two masks at the same time only modestly increases protection, and the gains get smaller as the filtration efficiency goes up. So yeah don't use two surgical masks at once because it'll just double the rate at which you dispose of them without actually helping you much.

The "homemade masks" that performed relatively poorly in this study were made by the volunteers out of 100% cotton sewn together. Elastic straps improve fit as mentioned in the discussion section, so hooray for rubber bands!

If you've got more info to share with me on these subjects, please post it here! If anything is wrong on this post, I'll update it.

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Supply for facemasks is short and for those who need to take care of sick patients or loved ones, best of luck to ya'll, the whole world is rooting for you.