DIY Dome Mask from Sterilization Wrappers

It was great to see some response from the prior post. Thankfully, more skilled makers reached out and have updated the design.

Bottom Line: see attached PDF for detailed instructions.

It also includes a mask and face shield option that doesn’t rely on anything from a hospital, made by my colleague. Dr. Bryan Wolf.

A brief story and context:

In the setting of the coronavirus pandemic, one concern is the supply of protective equipment for providers and everyone else. While I hope that manufacturing abilities and supply lines win the day, for at least some locations this may not be the case (and hasn’t been). In the context of increasing calls for routine mask use within and beyond the settings of clinical care, supply matters. The goal was to make masks from something that is available, and designed in principle to resist droplet splatter and protect against contamination.

When a variety of operating room equipment is sterilized, it is wrapped in this material to protect it from the time of sterilization until its use. So instead of discarding it, we are making masks. After the prior post, Anna Sutton — a puppet painter for LAIKA — reached out and offered to help. She has improved the design, and the instructions. Please take a look, share, spread, and consider it among your DIY mask options. While my hope remains not to personally use these in a direct healthcare setting, it is good to have a backup plan. And for those wanting to expand their own mask usage, without utilizing direct healthcare resources, having another option is a good thing.