Make-it-yourself mask technique gets new interest as coronavirus fears cause shortage in Japan

Surgical masks are a common sight on the streets of Japan, but nowadays they’re not practically as easy to find in stores, as demand is surging because of three different factors.

First up, it’s still cold season, meaning both commuters who’ve already drop with a case of sniffles in addition to those who don’t want to have been wearing masks on trains on the routes to/from work or school. Second, a warmer-than-usual winter has kickstarted pollen production from Japan’s trees, with hay fever sufferers needs to strap on masks. Third, and most considerably impacting demand for masks, the coronavirus outbreak is still at the front end of people’s minds.

The combined effect has been that lots of stores in Japan can be purchased out of masks, therefore a tweet from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Disaster Response Division has been getting renewed attention. Originally posted three years ago, the tweet shows how exactly to easily make your own masks with nothing more than paper towels, elastic bands, and staples.

The procedure is pretty simple. First, take a paper towel and fold it repeatedly back onto itself, with each fold being about as wide as your index finger, that will create a bellows-like pattern. Place the edge of a elastic band at each end of the folded paper and attach it with a staple. Finally, loop the elastic bands around your ears and unfold the central part of he paper, slipping it over the mouth area and nose.  The Disaster Response Division says that the mask works well in protecting against the inhalation of dust and sand, and it’s likely that it’s pretty good at keeping out pollen too.

However, as the technique is quick and clever, it’s worth remembering that the tweet was made a long time before the coronavirus outbreak occurred. The tweet makes no comment, though, as to set up material and fit are up to the task of protecting wearers from viral infection, and the police have not made any sort of follow-up announcement in the wake of the renewed interest the tweet has been getting through the coronavirus outbreak, so if the continuing health crisis is excatly why you’re looking to wear a mask, choosing a store-bought variety is probably still the far wiser choice, especially if you remember to use it the right way.