Seamstresses Uniting to Help Protect Health Care Workers

By Stephanie Malench

 

As the Corona Virus spreads, health care workers around the area are running out of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), especially masks.

The most effective mask for health care workers are N-95s and due to the limited supply providers are only given two.

In order to keep the two they re given clean and in good shape, people with sewing machines everywhere are taking advantage of their time at home to make covers for health care workers and those in the general populations who cannot stay home.

Rebecca Eaton, a substitute teacher in the Triad School district learned about the need on the news last week and formed a virtual sewing circle that has made over 120 mask covers.

The covers are being sent all over the United States, but most are staying in Highland at St. Joseph’s Hospital where a new design was recently release allowing it to be able to be used as a stand alone mask for visitors.

The new design  has cotton on the outside and a second layer of knit fabric of a different color or pattern on the inside

Those interested in making and donating masks to the hospital need to drop them off at the shipping dock in the back so they can be washed first.

Because every hospital and health care facility has different requirements and there are many different patterns available on the internet, please check with the facility you are interested in helping to see what would be most helpful for their staff.

Eaton has now begun filling requests from the Triad School District for 50 masks for bus drivers delivering lunches.