SMDF staff with donated fabric for the Mask for the Masses project. From left are: Melanie Choisy (Programme and Development Manager), Karin Vicente (Office Administrator), Makhicia Brooks (Managing Director) and Jennai Marlin (Financial Administrator).
PHILIPSBURG--In an effort to provide as many barrier masks to St. Maarten residents as possible, the St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) has launched a “Masks for the Masses” project with the help of more than twenty local seamstresses and tailors.
Hobbyists and professional seamstresses and tailors offered to assist in producing approximately 1,000 adult and child cloth face masks for those most in need of them. The intention is for the masks to be included in the care packages being distributed by government via Emergency Support Function 7 (ESF-7) and various community service organisations.
The masks being created for the project are intended for use by healthy people who do not present any clinical symptom of viral infection and those not in contact with people presenting flu-like symptoms.
“With St. Maarten’s high population density, it is inevitable that persons will be in relatively close proximity to one another, especially in public. Therefore, use of the mask is envisaged for any person leaving their home to go to their place of work at an essential business, or to shop for essential items in authorised establishments,” SMDF said in a press release on Sunday.
While medical (or surgical) masks and FFP2 type filtering masks (like N95 respirators) serve as the best protection against infectious viral droplets, due to the local and worldwide shortage of these types of masks SMDF believes they should be prioritised for healthcare workers, caregivers, and symptomatic people.
With the long-term goal being to supply masks to as many persons as possible, SMDF will also be introducing a “Buy1-Give1” programme for the masks, through which businesses and individuals can purchase a mask for NAf. 5, and in turn provide a free mask to another person. This nominal amount will cover the cost of production of the two masks, including materials.
“As this project is being led by skilled volunteers, SMDF would like to publicly thank the seamstresses and tailors who offered their assistance in this initiative and to the businesses that donated the appropriate fabric and filtration material for the construction of the masks,” it was stated in the release.
International health organisations have recently called for the use of barrier masks to complement protective hygiene measures and social-distancing rules to help slow the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
