Thursday, April 9, 2020

WE'RE MAKING MASKS FOR D.C.'S DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS


Since my blog post earlier this week (https://www.ddinwdc.com/2020/04/people-make-masks-providers-accept-them.html) about making face coverings for our D.C. provider agencies,  I’m thrilled to say that folks have really stepped up!  Tina Campanella, CEO of Quality Trust (https://www.dcqualitytrust.org/), has polled the provider community, and  six D.C. provider agencies have said they will happily accept face masks for their DSPs and other caregiving staff.  Thank you, Quality Trust, and thank you to these providers.  Now keep watching this space for more specific information, and in the meantime start making masks.  Here is one of the easiest patterns I’ve found: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVEVve-3QeM – you can skip the science part and start watching at about minute #8 of the video.  The best part of this one is:  no excuses!  It doesn’t require any sewing.  I did find it was maybe a little hard to breathe through with three layers, though, and the goal is to keep the mask on, so in my view one layer with a paper towel pinned inside, or just the two layers of fabric, may be enough –  but experiment!  And remember – something is better than nothing, they don’t need to be perfect.  So START MAKING MASKS!  If I can do it, you can – and I promise there are folks right here in our home town of D.C. who are ready to receive them!

One more thing – I was on a call yesterday in which advocates were discussing what, if anything, we in the disability community can do about the fact that covid 19 is disproportionately affecting people of color, here and elsewhere - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/outcry-over-racial-data-grows-as-virus-slams-black-americans/2020/04/08/52cfb514-79f9-11ea-a311-adb1344719a9_story.html.  Look folks – DSPs and other caregivers are disproportionately people of color – so this is something we can do.  START MAKING THOSE MASKS!


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