BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — There is deep concern about running out of needed medical supplies, especially face masks. Two local doctors are calling on the community to make our own.
“This is basically an old-fashioned surgical mask,” Dr. Martina Puzanovova said as she held up a face mask from her home during a video FaceTime interview.
Dr. Puzanovova is a trained pediatrician, but isn't practicing locally right now. Still, she's sharing her medical knowledge in this time of a public health crisis.
The local doctor is leading the charge to make homemade face masks as supplies dip to critically low levels.
“It is to keep the droplets from flying super far and basically to keep the non-identified, yet-asymptomatic from infecting everybody else,” Puzanovova explained.
The doctor says the face mask will keep it from spreading.
“We are now still in a situation that the majority of people are getting, like, silently infected, not even knowing,” remarked Dr. Puzanovova.
She is hoping businesses, fabric shops and people with sewing machines can help make the masks.
The doctor says they want people to start sewing together two-ply 100-percent cotton material that can be washed in boiling water and reused as face masks.
“When people say masks don't work, I say look at Hong Kong,” said Dr. Phil Fu.
The local physician is also encouraging everyone to wear a face mask. Dr. Fu said it could be the “weapon” against COVID-19 to prevent it from spreading so quickly.
Dr. Fu points to Hong Kong, where everyone is wearing masks.
“7.5 million people. They're all packed like sardines and basically you have very low transmission rates. They haven't done any sort of massive lockdown,” Dr. Fu stated.
Dr. Fu is also suggesting making masks that can be made from household material.
Even the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued new recommendations saying nurses can now use bandannas and scarves when caring for COVID-19 patients.
But there have been mixed messages about healthy people wearing the masks, touching them and spreading germs. Both doctors say it is dangerous to touch the outside of your mask because you will contaminate it. They also say they should be washed daily.
If you are interested in reaching Dr. Puzanovova to help start making face masks you can contact her through this email address: Puzanov@earthlink.net.
