The Free Mask Project of Vancouver   (Surrey Memorial Hospital)

@freemaskproject is looking for volunteers in Vancouver who are interested in:

1) making masks, OR

2) collecting the clean blue OR instrument sterilization wrappings

manufactured by Halyard from your hospital, OR

3) driving to collect and distribute masks and instrument wrappings

If interested in this project, please consult @freemaskproject on facebook for details about medical fabric, rationale and instructions on mask making.

This initiative is inspired by similar work carried out by UF Health: https://anest.ufl.edu/clinical-divisions/mask-alternative/

The Canadian CDC recommends universal non-surgical mask usage to decrease community spread of COVID19. We need help to collect this material that is currently used to wrap steril-ized surgical equipment. It is a precious material tested to have 99% filtration efficiency at 3 microns, similar to a surgical face mask.

We will be recycling clean medical fabric from hospitals currently been thrown away and converting these into reusable masks with high particle filtration capacity for at risk individuals in the community.

These masks can be reused more than 20 times by simply heating them to 70 Celsius for 30 min between use. They may also be used as a reusable filter insert for reusable cloth masks.

If you are interested in helping out with this project OR you need these masks for personal protection, please email freemaskproject@gmail.com

If you want to help fight this coronavirus please spread this message so we can get more volunteers. Put this your twitter, facebook or instagram. If you have a website or blog, please put this link at your own site so more people can see it.  

About the Project Reusable Face Mask in Vancouver 

This project is inspired by the Mask Alternative:  

https://anest.ufl.edu/clinical-divisions/mask-alternative/

The University of Florida Health’s department of anesthesiology has developed 2 prototypes for masks that can be produced in large quantities using materials already found in hospitals and medical facilities.

*UF has a patent pending on this FaceMask (Appl. No. 62/994,073)

Both prototypes have been fit tested. We are still refining our designs and assessing which work better for different types of faces. We will update this as we gain experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mask DOS and DON’TS

Mask TIPS and TRICKS

PROTOTYPE 1

This prototype involves a three-pleat design that hugs the face from below the eyes to below the chin.

PROTOTYPE 2

This prototype involves a cone shape around the nose and the mouth. A wire is inserted so the mask will fit snugly on the nose. It has darts to snug the mask under the chin. There is no binding on this mask. ​

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Mask Prototype 1 Instructional Video

Mask Prototype 1 Instructions

Download a pdf of these instructions.

This mask consists of two layers of HALYARD H600 medical fabric. The blue side is the right side and will face out. 

The mask has passed the Respirator Fit Test. Please note that the masks will be sterilized after they are returned to the hospital.

Supplies

• Medical grade fabric (Halyard H600) supplied by hospital
• One piece of 16-gauge wire (not aluminum as it is too soft)
• 100% Acrylic yarn, size medium # 4 (used for ties)
• Cutting mat, ruler, rotary cutter if available
• Sewing machine, thread, scissors, sewing clips/paperclips, seam ripper (NOTE: please use pins sparingly to avoid holes)
• Jewelry pliers or needle nose pliers and wire cutters

More details here about how to make this alternative mask here:

https://anest.ufl.edu/clinical-divisions/mask-alternative/