Masks, face coverings, cover-ups – call them what you will, they’re the new must-have accessory thanks to Covid-19.
The Prime Minister last week asked Aucklanders to wear a mask if you leave your home, telling them “any face covering, such as scarves or a bandana covering your nose and mouth, will suffice”.
So what are the dos and don’ts for wearing a mask?
You want something that goes over your nose, mouth and chin. It has to be comfortable and let you breathe easy.
There are three types – single-use, n95s and reusable.
Single-use masks are like what doctors on TV wear. As the name suggests they have to be thrown out after one wear.
N95s are top-notch masks, but they’re needed by healthcare workers so ideally, the rest of us will leave them alone.
Reusable cloth masks are made out of several layers of material and there are different patterns, fabrics, shapes and brands.
The Government is releasing five million masks from its supplies to help meet demand.
The next thing to consider – how much money should you be paying for a mask?
A reusable, washable mask with filters can cost anywhere from $11 to $50. Add a designer label and you could pay up to $100.
When it comes to single-use, that’s rapidly becoming an issue of demand. For a 50-pack online you’ll pay between $18 and $80. Per mask that’s as little as 36 cents, and up to $1.40 a pop.
However some pharmacies are finding another way to cash in by making their own packs of masks.
For example, Life Pharmacy in Auckland is selling 10 single-use masks for $25. That’s $2.50 per mask.
Life Pharmacy – which is mostly made up of licensees running their own businesses – told Fair Go they expect all stores to observe reasonable and sensible pricing structures.
However if you do your research, you might not have to pay for a mask at all. There are loads of videos online, showing you how to fashion masks out of socks and t-shirts – which, as we found out, isn’t too hard at all.
Wilson Longhurst got the scissors out and got to work.
To be effective, the mask has to be thick enough to stop the spread of droplets. A good rule of thumb – if you can see through it, it’s too thin. Plus, make sure you’re popping it in the washing machine after every wear.
Some final tips:
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