Show Us Your Mask

Show Us Your Mask A special publication of the Brattleboro Reformer Thursday, July 30, 2020 This section is made possible by the generous support of Fulflex.

2 • Show Us Your Mask

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Show Us Your Mask • 3

Thursday, July 30, 2020

5 reasons to wear a mask in public 1. It’s about to be mandatory.

Starting Saturday, Aug. 1, adults and children aged 2 years and up must wear face coverings in public places — including any outdoor space where the recommended 6 feet of social distance cannot be maintained. The executive order, signed by Gov. Phil Scott on July 24, is meant to prevent a resurgence of cases like those that have forced some states to backtrack on reopening businesses. Masks will not be required for: children under 2; people with breathing difficulties or other medical or behavioral issues that prevent mask use; and people who are exercising or performing other strenuous tasks.

2. You don’t have to feel sick to be infectious.

According to the World Health Organization, up to 80% of COVID-19 cases may present with only mild symptoms — or no symptoms at all. Asymptomatic carriers can pass on the virus without knowing it, which is why even outwardly healthy people should cover up.

3. It’s not just about you.

In a perfect world, people at high risk for COVID-19 complications would stay safe at home, safe from possible transmission. Unfortunately, total seclusion just isn’t possible for most people. Either they, or their caregivers, have to venture out into the world now and then, where it falls on the public to keep the chance of transmission down. The best way to protect high-risk individuals, and their caregivers, is to prevent the virus from entering the air in the first place. Wearing a mask keeps potentially infected droplets contained, making you less likely to unknowingly pass on the infection to those around you.

4. It’s good for business.

The faster infection rates slow, the sooner local companies can get back to business as usual. Small- and medium-sized businesses have been especially hard-hit by months of shutdown. With wide-spread mask wearing, we can keep transmission rates low and give local businesses time to get back on their feet.

5. It sets an example.

Humans are social creatures. We like to follow the herd. Wearing a mask in public normalizes the behavior, making it acceptable — and preferable — for others to do the same. Think of it as a fashion trend with an altruistic twist.

On the cover: Illustration by Yaroslav Danylchenko

Thursday, July 30, 2020

4 • Show Us Your Mask

Thank you The CDC continues to remind us that face coverings can slow the spread of the Corona virus. We want to celebrate everyone who wears a mask in public and who has taken the time to create their own design to reflect their own creativity in this time of COVID-19 restrictions Currently the more than 100 employees at Fulflex on Putney Road are working hard to produce elastic for all types of face masks so that the makers of face masks around the world can keep pumping them out. One of those customers is 3M, which makes masks that meet the N95 standard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the N95 for healthcare providers working with patients who have been exposed to the coronavirus because it filters out up to 95 percent of the particles down to .3 microns, which includes bacteria and viruses. We are also very proud and happy to provide elastic to the many individuals and groups in the local area and as far away as Texas that are making homemade masks.

We are small, but mighty and our employees are playing an incredibly important role in this fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

Fulflex hiring to meet the demand for Personal Protective Equipment in this crisis. Positions starting at $18/hr Apply at www.fulflex.com/ careers

32 Justin Holden Drive, Brattleboro, VT 05301, United States