Cape Town – A critical element of curtailing the coronavirus disease is the use of face masks, however, there is a dire shortage of medical-grade face masks in the country (and the world).
Healthcare workers, on the frontline of combating this disease and caring for those infected, are our everyday heroes making the difference to life or death, on a daily basis. They need these face masks.
To combat the shortage and to aid in the continued efforts to help flatten the spread of the Covid-19, Independent Media has launched our 'Heroes Don’t Wear Capes, They Wear Masks’ campaign.
This important awareness campaign has several important potentially life-saving aims, among them:
- Alleviating the shortage of medical masks required for healthcare workers by;
- Encouraging everyone to wear masks when leaving the house – for any reason – that they have made themselves, at home.
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There is also the added benefit of the human need to do something worthwhile, while on lockdown, and this could be a great family project, as well as practical education for younger children.
Download and print our easy to use cut-out pattern for a face mask, follow the step-by-step instructions on how to make it. Then be a hero too, make your mask and wear it.
Then take a picture of you and your family wearing your masks, post it on IOL's Facebook page and you could stand a chance to win a R500 Loot voucher.
Independent Media acknowledges that cloth masks are not of the same standard as medical masks. However, in accordance with now international best practices and guidelines, the wearing of cloth masks has been shown to have a positive effect in stopping the transmission of the Covid-19 virus.
The need for mask-wearing will increase as South Africa heads into winter and traditional flu season. It is therefore critical to do as much as is possible, to interrupt the transmission of Covid-19 as soon as possible.
Independent Media therefore urges the public to be heroes and wear a mask.