KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If you stand outside a grocery store for a while, you'll see just about every kind of face covering.
Those range from medical masks to bandannas and scarves, like the one Tabbie Rice wore outside the Consentino's Price Chopper in Brookside.
"I'm doing the best I can. This is what I had," she said.
Other shoppers sported bare faces, and one woman told the 41 Action News Investigators she felt safe without a mask because she was only purchasing a couple items quickly.
As of April 3, the CDCrecommends wearing cloth face coverings in places where social distancing may be difficult, such as a grocery store or pharmacy.
However, medical masks should be reserved for healthcare professionals facing shortages of PPE.
The good news is that the CDC shared two different ways to make face coverings at home without having to pull out a sewing machine.
Bandana Face Covering
The first option starts with a bandanna or square-shaped scarf, which will need to be folded over several times. Slide a hair tie on both ends, leaving about six inches in between. Next, fold both ends into the middle and tuck them. Finally, hook the hair ties around your ears and adjust the mask.
However, this option isn't the most comfortable for everyone.
"I found that my ears are not firm enough to uphold them [the hair ties]. They just bent over, so you have to have some pretty sturdy ears I think," Rice said.
T-Shirt Face Covering
One alternative involves using a t-shirt to make a face covering.
First, slice off the bottom 7 or 8 inches of the shirt, then take that material and cut out a rectangle that measures 6 or 7 inches long. Finally, cut the thin pieces of fabric to separate the strings. Those can be tied around the top of your head and your neck.
Finally, remember that even if you don't feel sick, you could be carrying the virus. A cloth face covering can protect others.
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