Face Coverings to Reduce Disease Spread

Summit County’s Public Health Order requires that individuals wear non-medical cloth face coverings over both the mouth and nose whenever indoors in public spaces, and outdoors whenever 6 feet of separation cannot be maintained.

This requirement is based on new evidence showing that persons without COVID-19 symptoms can spread the virus without knowing it. The virus is believed to be spread person-to-person, through respiratory droplets.

Face coverings are not a replacement for physical distancing. It is critical to remember that maintaining at least 6 feet of physical distancing continues to be the most important strategy for limiting the spread of COVID-19.

Face coverings are an additional public health measure to help control the spread of this virus. Community members can fashion cloth face coverings from household items or make them at home from common materials at low cost.

Exceptions

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

Masks v. Face Coverings

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

Cleaning a Face Covering

Face coverings should be washed routinely, depending on the frequency of use. A washing machine should suffice in properly cleaning a face covering. If you do not have a washing machine, wash vigorously by hand, using soap and hot water.

Placing a Face Covering On and Taking It Off

It is important to be careful when putting a face cover on and taking it off. Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing. It is also important not to touch the outer portion of the cover which may have virus on it. Here is a good instructional video by National Jewish Health.

Sewing for Summit

If you would like to help, we are working with the FIRC Bag Ladies to sew, donate, and distribute cloth face coverings throughout the community.

To sew the face coverings, please use the PDF pattern linked below. There is also an instructional video to watch.

Once you have sewn the cloth face coverings, place them in a plastic bag and drop them off at any of the Summit County Library book drop boxes.

If you have questions, email:
EOClogistics@summitcountyco.gov

Resources:
Face Covering PDF Pattern
Instructional YouTube Video

If you have made masks to share with our community, tag us on social media so we can see all your hard work: #SewingforSummit #ColoradoMaskProject #OutbreakofKindness

Scientific Research on Face Coverings

Community Use Of Face Masks And COVID-19: Evidence From A Natural Experiment Of State Mandates In The US, Wei Lyu and George L. Wehby, Health Affairs, June 16, 2020.
Face Masks Against COVID-19: An Evidence Review, Jeremy Howard, et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, April 10, 2020.
Face Facts, Lawrence M. Wein, New York Times, Oct. 25, 2006.
Still Confused About Masks? Here’s the Science Behind How Face Masks Prevent Coronavirus, Nina Bai, University of California San Francisco, June 26, 2020.
Face Masks and GDP, Goldman Sachs Research, June 29, 2020.
Face Masks Really Do Matter. The Scientific Evidence is Growing, Caitlin McCabe, Wall Street Journal, July 27, 2020.

Tips, Instructions and Information Resources

Wearing face coverings
- CDC offers general guidance on face covers
- Help! My Mask Fogs My Glasses, Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times, April 21, 2020.
- How NOT to Wear a Mask, Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times, April 8, 2020.
Making a cloth face cover
- Instructions for making a sewn face covering and a no-sew covering from the CDC.
- Instructions for making homemade masks from the Colorado Mask Project.
- An instructional video from the U.S. Surgeon General for a simple no-sew covering.
- A video from 9news demonstrates how to make a no-sew face covering with shoelaces and an old shirt.
- Instructions and diagrams on making your own face coverings: It’s Time to Make Your Own Face Mask, Farhad Manjoo, New York Times, March 31, 2020.

Cubrebocas para reducir la propagación de enfermedades

La Orden de Salud Pública del Condado de Summit requiere que las personas usen cubrebocas de tela no médicas sobre la boca y la nariz cuando estén en interiores en espacios públicos y al aire libre cuando no puedan mantenerse 6 pies de separación. Este requisito se basa en nueva evidencia que muestra que las personas sin síntomas de COVID-19 pueden transmitir el virus sin saberlo. Se cree que el virus se transmite de persona a persona a través de gotitas respiratorias.

Los cubrebocas no reemplazan el distanciamiento físico. Es fundamental recordar que mantener al menos 6 pies de distancia física sigue siendo la estrategia más importante para limitar la propagación de COVID-19.

Los cubrebocas son una medida adicional de salud pública para ayudar a controlar la propagación de este virus. Los miembros de la comunidad pueden diseñar cubrebocas de tela con artículos del hogar o hacerlos en casa con materiales comunes a bajo costo.

Excepciones

No deben colocarle cubrebocas de tela en niños menores de 2 años, en personas que tengan problemas para respirar o en personas que estén inconscientes, incapacitadas o que de otra manera no puedan quitar el cubrebocas sin ayuda.

Cubrebocas y Cubiertas faciales

Los cubrebocas de tela recomendados no son cubrebocas quirúrgicos ni respiradores N-95. Esos son suministros críticos que deben continuar reservados para los trabajadores de la salud y otros servicios de primeros auxilios médicos, según lo recomendado por la guía actual de los CDC (siglas en inglés.).

Limpieza de un cubrebocas

Los cubrebocas se deben lavar de manera rutinaria, dependiendo de la frecuencia de uso. Una lavadora debe ser suficiente para limpiar adecuadamente un cubrebocas. Si no tiene una lavadora, lave vigorosamente a mano, usando jabón y agua caliente.

Colocar un cubrebocas y quitarlo

Es importante tener cuidado al poner el cubrebocas y quitarlo. Las personas deben tener cuidado de no tocarse los ojos, la nariz y la boca al quitarse el cubrebocas y lavarse las manos inmediatamente después de quitarlo. También es importante no tocar la parte externa de el cubrebocas que puede tener virus. Aquí hay un buen video instruccional: instructional video by National Jewish Health..