We understand that with the shortage of masks during the Novel Coronavirus pandemic we have an opportunity to help by providing masks. This can be done on a local basis under the guidance of your regional service coordinator and your regional medical director. Please review the attached ‘guidelines’ documents prior to commencing the project.

1. If your local hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters and other medical offices are requesting volunteers to make and provide masks and they have a recommended protocol including material to be used you should follow their protocol.

2. If they request masks without a specific protocol to follow, we have provided instructions. If you have another method you would like to use you can send a proposal to the SSIO Mask Service Project Committee and if approved, will be posted on the national website.

3. Please only distribute the masks to institutions with which you have a signed disclaimer form that shows that they accept full responsibility to how the masks are used.

4. Please send questions regarding the overall project to akalathia@sathyasai.us . Send questions pertaining to technical aspects regarding construction and/or sewing to agiridharan@sathyasai.us or cschiermann@sathyasai.us

Background:

Healthcare facilities throughout the country are facing a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases. CDC guidelines allow a provision for healthcare facilities to use homemade face masks in times of shortage. Many hospitals are asking members of their community to donate or construct masks, shields and gowns.

Overview:

Local healthcare facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) can be approached to assess their need for homemade face masks.  Many hospitals (or the facility you are communicating with) already have a specific kit and/or design, in which case that would be the preferable mask to construct.  Otherwise, several options have been provided with this documentation.  Each center should assess their available sewing skill set and material availability to select an appropriate mask to construct.  A sample mask along with details of specific materials and construction techniques to be used should be shown to the designated hospital authority, who should sign for clearance to receive our homemade masks. How and under what circumstances these homemade masks are to be processed, used and re-used are determined completely by the accepting facility.  We make no claims other than that they are homemade masks.

Quality Control and Uniformity:

Guidelines for mask construction should be carefully followed.  Completed masks must only be delivered to the designated personnel of accepting facility that has signed the disclaimer form.  Total types and numbers of masks made and the facilities to which they are delivered should be logged and reported weekly to the regional service coordinator.

Oversight:

Each region’s service coordinator (or their designee) to have oversight of the projects within their region and provide periodic feedback to the national team so we can learn from each other’s experiences. 

Detailed Mask Construction Instructions:

Appendix A contains detailed instructions including videos prepared by the Sacramento Young Adults.

Appendix B contains various face mask models and resources, listed in order from simplest designs first.

Appendix C contains detailed instructions for making medical face shields.

Appendix D contains options for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Appendix E contains instructions for disposable hospital gowns