Craig Loomis is one of many seamstresses sewing masks for the community.
Global mask shortages have left essential businesses in Haines unable to outfit workers with an important piece of protective equipment. Over the past week, roughly 30 volunteers have been working to produce homemade masks to meet local needs.
Haines resident Sheri Loomis said she had the idea for a local mask making group after she came across the #millionmaskschallenge on social media. “They were posting their efforts and pictures, and I saw one from a group called ‘Alaska Mask Makers’ which had delivered over one thousand masks in just a couple days.” Loomis started the Southeast Alaska Mask Makers group on Facebook to locally source masks for Southeast communities.
Each community is responsible for its own masks, Loomis said. Communities including Sitka, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau and Ketchikan are all part of the effort, although not every community is set up. Each community needs a volunteer to coordinate local efforts before they can begin. Smaller, outlying communities will be served by the closest larger community, she said, using Metlakatla as an example.
At present, Haines, Juneau, Petersburg and Sitka mask maker groups are operational. The group in Sitka received a request from the local Southeast Regional Health Consortium clinic and is working to fill that order, Loomis said.
Media outlets have reported a shortage of masks across the country and across the globe, specifically National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved N95 masks used by health care workers. NIOSH is a group designed to research and make recommendations to improve worker health and safety in the U.S..
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has guidelines for how to ration and reuse masks as a health care facility’s supplies begin to diminish. If a facility completely runs out, the CDC recommends using “masks not evaluated or approved by NIOSH or homemade masks as a last resort.”
This is the point many communities around the country are reaching, which has spurred local efforts to begin making masks at home. Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts began offering free mask making kits, complete with fabric, patterns, elastic, thread and ribbon, to people across the country as part of their “Make to Give” effort. To date, the company has donated more than 1.5 million kits to communities across the country.
One hundred of these kits made their way to Haines from the Jo-Ann Fabrics store in Juneau, and more are on the way, Loomis said. She said Jo-Ann Fabrics has started to slow its donations due to depleted supplies. All requests for mask kits must now go through corporate headquarters, which is trying to prioritize communities with the greatest need.
Loomis said while the local SEARHC clinic in Haines has not yet requested masks, other businesses and organizations that provide essential services have put in requests including the borough, the school, the senior center, Head Start and numerous restaurants and grocery stores. Loomis said she and other mask makers in Haines will supplement the 100 kits from Jo-Ann Fabrics with local fabric stashes. The kits do not include wire, but paperclips work in most cases.
Loomis said she assembles the kits and drops them off at local volunteers’ houses. It takes about 40 minutes to make a mask, including cutting and sewing, once you get the hang of it. Although, her first mask took a little longer, she said.
Volunteer Cheryl McRoberts, who has been sewing since her home economics class in junior high school, said she first heard about the effort through Facebook and wanted to join to help her community. “I decided to get involved as I am on the board of directors for the Haines Senior Village and knew our seniors may need to have a mask if they venture out.”
McRoberts said she has made 21 masks so far from the Jo-Ann Fabrics kits. Her masks will be given to seniors who reside at the senior village as well as her staff at the American Bald Eagle Foundation.
Loomis collects completed masks from volunteers and takes them back to her house to sanitize according to CDC guidelines. The process involves washing masks in hot water, drying them in a hot dryer and using sterile gloves to place them in individual, sterilized bags for delivery, Loomis said. The only exception is when an organization has its own sterilization protocol like SEARHC.
While there are a variety of different mask patterns circulating online, Loomis said there are a few unifying characteristics. The masks are reusable, 100% cotton with a wire nose piece to eliminate gaps and either elastic or fabric ties to secure the mask to the face. Medical institutions prefer masks with pouches that allow the user to insert an extra, disposable layer of material. At present, volunteers in Haines are making a simpler mask without a pouch. This will change if SEARHC requests masks for its workers, Loomis said.
While the homemade masks are not comparable to the N95 masks, “they are better than nothing,” Loomis said. Wearing homemade masks helps those infected with the virus keep saliva and mucus contained. Once a mask gets damp, the user should sanitize the mask, she said.
“Our goal is to provide everyone in the Chilkat Valley with a mask as the final outcome,” Loomis said. She said she is starting to take requests from community members who do not work in essential services but want masks to help slow the spread. Those requesting personal masks are asked to donate $5 for materials if they can afford it. Masks for essential businesses will be provided free of charge using the kits donated by Jo-Ann Fabrics.
Right now, meeting the needs of local businesses that have remained open and providing personal masks for vulnerable populations like the elderly are the priority, Loomis said. She said she is beginning deliveries this week. Once volunteers meet the needs of these populations, they will begin production for others in the community.
Loomis said while people cannot request specific colors or prints, she has been asking businesses for a head count of male and female masks so she can tailor print selection. She said she looks forward to the time when they’ve been able to outfit the entire community. “It’ll be fun seeing all the colors running around Haines.”
Those interested in placing personal mask orders can contact Loomis by calling 766-2854 or texting 314-0854. At risk individuals and people ordering free masks for their business will need to sign a liability waiver.