Face masks are in high demand, especially since the CDC recommended wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain – like grocery stores and pharmacies.
Disease control experts are urging the public to refrain from hoarding essential medical supplies because hospitals and medical professionals around the world are running low on supplies.
“The surgical mask supply went from being 90% U.S.-made to being 95% foreign-made in literally one year,” Mike Bowen,executive vice president of Texas-based Prestige Ameritech said to a major news outlet.
According to the CDC, cloth face coverings should—
- fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- be secured with ties or ear loops
- include multiple layers of fabric
- allow for breathing without restriction
- be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
