A group of Saint Johners is helping to provide protective gear for the city’s most vulnerable populations.
Masks In Need is a new group of community-members collecting homemade masks, and connecting would-be mask makers with necessary supplies.
Pam Pastirik is a registered nurse who teaches at UNBSJ. She says she wanted to start Masks In Need to help contribute during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Our group decided we would try and help vulnerable people in our community that may have either chronic illness or disease and require masks in their home, people in shelters, or people that have a really hard time social distancing,” Pastirik said.
On Sunday, the group hosted their first drop-off and received 250 mask donations. Pastirik said they were excited by the number of masks they received, and the unique designs by their contributers.
“(The masks) are kind of inspirational as well,” she said. “I think we’ll help people in need to know that we’re all in it together and we’re here to protect each other.”
Canadian health officials reversed course on recommending masks for people without symptoms of COVID-19 last week. The current understanding is wearing a mask reduces the risk of asymptomatic carriers spreading the virus.
“It is protection for others, but if you think about it as a herd – if we all have a mask, it’s actually protection for all,” Pastirik said. “Especially people living in crowded places that don’t have the option to distance, or they have to get food from a shelter.”
Wearing a mask is intended to be an additional measure, along with physical distancing, and stay-at-home measures, to help prevent the spread of the virus.
The masks donated this week will be donated to Romero House, the Salvation Army, and Fresh Start Outreach. Each mask will come with information on the virus and how to avoid spreading.
“It talks about general prevention, which is the most important thing, and then it talks about how to use your mask, how to clean it, what are the symptoms and what do you do (if you exhibit symptoms),” Pastirik said.
The group will be posting information about future drop-offs and photos of the masks they’ve had donated on their Facebook page.
Masks In Need will be accepting donations once again Sunday, April 19 at the Jean Coutu parking lot in Millidgeville between noon and 2 p.m.
