Being American

335.

This is the number of fabric face masks I have made since March.  I just dropped off the last batch of 52 masks to another member of the volunteer sewing group in the DC/ Maryland/ Virginia area.  I do not have the latest figure, but the 611 members already donated material, made, collected and delivered over 4000 masks by mid May.  It is quite something.

It takes approximately 40 minutes to make a mask.  335 masks means 13,400 minutes.  223-1/3 hours.  More than five and a half week of a full time job.  I never foresaw myself to be sewing masks till mid July.  Definitely did not expect I would spend that much time to sew so many masks.

If you think I have done a lot. there are people who have done even more.  The moment it came to light that hospitals were lacking in protective gear, people jumped into action and started the group.  People spend their money, time and energy to lovingly sew up beautiful masks with lovely fabrics.  Different people do what they are good at and chip in to make the whole operation possible.  When there is a need, people rise to the occasion to do everything needed to help.  To me, this is what "united" means in "United States of America".  

When I was working on this last batch of masks, I wondered to myself:  "By now, who would still have no face masks to wear if they care to wear one?"  Long ago, we have already had area hospitals and non-profit organizations covered.  The latest requests are mostly for kid-sized masks.  

"What kind of parents would still not have fitting masks for their kids?  It's been four months since the lockdown order!"  Well, poor parents.  I have personally seen many parents who, themselves, wear droopy face masks that do not stay on their faces.  Those same masks just are not made to fit their children's little faces.  This is America where the wealth gap manifests itself as the space between a face mask and the face of the wearer.

When we first started the operation, there was still a lot of debate over whether mask-wearing is an effective measure in curbing the spread of COVID 19.  By now, scientists all over the world agree that it is one of the simplest and most effective way of preventing the transmission of the virus.  Countries that have been mandating mask-wearing in public spaces have seen significant drop in new cases.  Similar phenomenon has been observed in US cities.

Given the rate we have been going in controlling the spread of the virus, it will be a long time before we are out of the woods.  In fact, before we are done with the first wave, we are already seeing a resurgence in many cities.  Regardless of what you think about the situation in your city is, please do us all a favor:

KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCE and WEAR A MASK.  

Yes, you are free to do whatever with your own body and your life.  You may choose to risk catching COVID 19 and possibly die.  However, please don't take others down with you.  They have their freedom, too.  Respect that.  It is only American.