By Bill Knox
When COVID-19 became a real threat, people were naturally interested in how to limit its spread—and I was no exception. Early on, the N95 was the face mask everyone was talking about getting. The problem, of course, was the same for all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)—N95 masks were in short supply. I had a few, but two drawbacks were soon clear—they were designed for single-use and they were needed by frontline healthcare professionals. About that time, I ran into a friend at a local supermarket who was wearing a cloth mask sewn by his wife, an accomplished tailor. I went home considering calling her to sew some for my family and me. Soon, though, while scrolling COVID-19 websites, I found a link to the CDC page that had instructions for a DIY mask that could be made at home—and conveniently—did not require sewing and could be made from materials I had at hand: a stack of cotton bandanas collected over the years for doing outdoor projects and rubber bands to loop around the folded ends and my ears. The instructions were easy to follow (How to Make a CDC-Approved Cloth Face Mask–.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-to-make-cloth-face-covering.html) and soon we had a supply of washable, reusable face masks for the few times we ventured out for essential business. I like to think this simple covering is a citizens’ way to feel a bit safer while living with the pandemic.