It’s another week of the shutdown. How are y’all holding up? Doin’ OK? Keeping safe and happy? I know, it’s starting to get rough. People are frustrated and cranky and trying their best to keep everything together. Especially those that are spending far more time at home than they ever imagined. I’m still going to work every day, and even I am suffering from a bit of cabin fever.

So, what’s the bright side this week? It’s the helpers like Flo on the cover.

There are so many amazing people in the area that are supporting and helping others. From making masks to making signs to offer a boost to healthcare and other frontline workers. Restaurants are sending food to the hospitals for healthcare workers. People are sending snacks and coffee to law enforcement agencies to encourage them and remind them that they are appreciated.

So, for this week, let’s appreciate the helpers. The ones that are looking at what they have to offer and how that can help someone else, or make their lives easier, or make them smile.

I have actually known Florence and her daughter Nicole for a long time. Nicole and I were friends during elementary and some of junior high school before I moved out of the Jersey Shore School District. It makes my heart happy to see how they are working to help people just because they can.

Nicole messaged me this week with a great article suggestion since we are focusing on masks on the cover this week. She suggested that we pass along information regarding proper mask safety. I thought this was a great idea, especially since I keep seeing people wearing masks inappropriately. So, off to the interwebz and CDC, I went to gather the facts. According to the CDC:
Cloth face coverings should:
• fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

It should also be noted that the mask should cover your NOSE AND MOUTH. I know it’s not super comfortable and impedes breathing a bit, but the mask does zero good if it isn’t cover both!

The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

They also advise the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

The CDC’s website also has a couple of tutorials on how to make a mask at home. There are both sew, and no-sew options and use materials most can find around the house. I actually made one of the no-sew ones from an adorable shirt that I absolutely loved but accidentally shrunk, a couple of hair ties, and a few safety pins. (But shout-out to Josie at It’s My Party Store for the ones that she delivered to the Webb Weekly office!)
They also offered up some guidance on some FAQ:

Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly? How regularly? — Yes. They should be routinely washed, depending on the frequency of use.

How does one safely sterilize/clean a cloth face covering? — A washing machine should suffice in properly washing a face covering.

How does one safely remove a used cloth face covering? — Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing. Remove masks by the ear loops or back ties without touching the front of the mask.

I hope this helps y’all navigate some of the mask confusion.

Next week, we are going to talk movie and TV suggestions, because if we are still stuck inside, we may as well get the most out of our streaming services.

As always — I’ll keep doing my best to offer up the bright side of things if y’all keep trying to see them! Please stay safe, stay healthy, and stay home if you can! If you are out and about, don’t forget your mask!