It is not the law, but Canada and Alberta have agreed with the idea that wearing a homemade cloth mask might help in the spreading the coronavirus, especially when it is hard to maintain the 2-metre physical distancing when in public.

YouTuber Japanese Creations offers how-to make face masks videos and tip for fogged-up glasses. Link Below

It is a culture clash between eastern and western countries. Unlike most Asian countries where a lot of the population regularly wear masks in public, in Western counties wearing a mask in public is not as easily accepted by the majority of the population. Many people find that they are treated as “infected” when they wear a face mask in public. Only time will tell if this Covid- 19 pandemic will change the majority of Canadians opinion people wear masks in public.

In February, China’s state media site posted a very strong opinion piece entitled, “Refusing Mask Wearing In Public Is A Threat To Civilization.”

Also not pulling any punches, virologist and immunologist, George Gao told ScienceMagazine.org, “The big mistake in the U.S. and Europe – is that people aren’t wearing masks. Gao is the director-general of the  Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “This virus is transmitted by droplets and close contact.

George Gao

You’ve got to wear a mask, because when you speak, there are always droplets coming out of your mouth – masks, can prevent droplets that carry the virus from escaping and infecting others.” Across Asian countries the populations are onboard that, “there are an unknown number of people that are asystematic, carrying the coronavirus and they do not even know it.” So, in the spirit of a country’s solidarity, “there is a need to protect others from yourself.”

In recent weeks countries have seen the stats and cannot ignore the lower numbers of infected in mask wearing countries like, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, the region of Hong Kong and China has also now flatted the curve and have loosed up on the city military lock-downs.

Recently passing laws that make it mandatory to wear a face mask in public are the Czech, Slovakia, Indonesia and the Philippines. On April 3rd, US President Donald Trump, announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending, on a voluntary basis, that Americans wear “non-medical cloth” face coverings.

Making homemade masks can be a fun family craft time. If you are of age, you can even toast a glass of wine to celebrate a good job. Make extras so you can change them up, give to friends or even donate them to those in need.

In Canada Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam has changed her view and is now saying, “Wearing a non-medical mask, even if you have no symptoms, is an additional measure that you can take to protect others around you in situations where physical distancing is difficult to maintain, such as in public transit or maybe in the grocery store.”

In Alberta, the view has also changed on the general public wearing mask in public. Leading off with the premier Kenney, who has seen countries that have been successful in keeping the transmission of COVID-19 down, have all had widespread use of face masks. Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said at a press conference, “What we know is that people who are sick spread illness – wearing a non-medical mask, such as a homemade cloth mask, has not been proven to protect the person who is wearing it,” but added, “However, it may be helpful in protecting others around you.”

The Alberta government wants people to follow these rules, even when wearing face coverings in public.

• Continue to follow all other public health guidance (staying two metres away from others, wash hands regularly, stay home when sick).
• Avoid touching your face and mask while using it.
• Wash hands before putting on a mask, then before and after removing it.
• Clean a cloth mask as soon as it gets damp or soiled.
• Put it directly in the washing machine or a sealed bag that can be emptied into the washing machine and then be disposed of.
• Cloth masks can be laundered with other items using a hot cycle, then dried in the dryer at the highest temperature setting.
• Medical masks can’t be washed and should be discarded and replaced as soon as they get damp, soiled or crumpled.
• Dispose of these masks in a lined garbage bin.
• Do not share masks with others.

There are many online resources where you can easily make a cloth mask with or without a sewing machine.

1. Youtuber Danysska from the Czech republic has a very easy “How To” do instructions on how to make a cloth mask with no sewing.
2. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has a web page with easy instructions on how to make 3-different masks, one needs a sewing machine and two do not.
3. With 1.5+ million views already. Japanese Creations on YouTube has two great how to videos. The second one has good tips to help glasses from fogging up, amazing what a small piece of tinfoil can do. Both do not need for a sewing machine. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyxl_I7lKw-bjUz3ECa_jwg
4. The Surgeon General for the US, Dr. Jerome Adam has an easy to follow how to make a face mask video, with-out a sewing machine.
5. From prixprix on Instructables.com with a step by step photo instructions on how to make face mask out of an old T-shirt, no sewing machine required.
6. With over 1.9+ million views, HomeMadeOnOurHomestead, has a good how to sew a reusable face mask with a filter pocket.
7.  1.6+ million views and counting, Thoughtful Creativity, has a tutorial on how to make cloth face masks in a batches using a sewing machine.
8. Not wanting to be outdone with 1.8+ million views, Kim’s Kitchen Affair, and her DIY how to sew a reusable pleated face mask with nose bridge and filter pockets in just 5 Minutes. Some sewing skills required!

Click here to read more on Todayville Edmonton.