Making masks

Cherisse Pierre is doing her part in TT’s fight against the covid19 pandemic. Pierre, who is from Port of Spain, is one of several people who have begun producing their own masks. Over the weekend Government asked that everyone wears masks as additional protection against the covid19 pandemic. Pierre is a part of a wider local and global movement of people making masks to aid in the protection against covid19. International designers like Christian Siriano have also been making masks.

She makes different types of masks from cotton and says that people prefer to use the cloth ones as they are reusable.

Pierre said she had the idea to make masks since Carnival but did not do it then. She only started when Deyalsingh made the announcement.

“I started when the Minister of Health announced everyone should wear masks for their safety. I first considered it for Carnival but I did not expect it to get this serious so I did not make any. When this came up I was like this is the same idea for Carnival.”

Pierre made one and began receiving requests from there as “people told other people.”

She said she is now overwhelmed with requests and has made a couple dozen masks.

Pierre, who has been sewing for the last ten years, says she would let people choose the different patterns or they let her choose. She said the choices were limited as cloth stores are closed right now.

She said she collects fabric so she uses what she has to make the masks. People would choose the pattern they want from what she has available.

Pierre is selling some of her masks and donating the rest.

She added that a lot of people are willing to pay as it is a lot of work. It would take anywhere from ten to 30 minutes to make one depending on the type of mask requested.

“There are different styles. People on the frontlines request a pocket so they can put in filters because they deal with patients but people like myself who don’t have to deal directly with patients I wear a regular mask without the filter,” she said.

Pierre said but she makes sure the regular masks are doubled so it is lined.

To distribute the masks, Pierre said she agrees to meet people at agreed-upon locations.

Phoebe-Ann Edwards is also creating her own masks and her story, with others, will be told in a Newsday feature about people creating their own brand of masks later this week.