Europeans provide training on sewing masks to deal with Covid-19 2
Just a week ago, Nanospace, a small Czech company, was still producing nanofiber bedsheets.
This company released the first masks within two days after an urgent call from the local government on March 14.
A couple sews masks at home in Prague, Czech capital on March 17.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends wearing masks in public places, although some experts believe that masks and gloves are not effective in preventing nCoV infection.
Through social networks, tens of thousands of Europeans are joining forces to sew masks, in the context of millions of people on the continent having to stay at home due to blockade orders to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In the Czech Republic, a Facebook group called `Czech people sew masks` was born after Prague required citizens to wear masks when going out and ordered the border to be closed.
Artists and celebrities, including actress Dagmar Havlova, wife of the late Czech president Vaclav Havel, are also involved in producing masks.
In neighboring Poland, Chechen refugee women have gathered groups to sew masks for hospitals.
Mask sewing activities are also taking place intensively in Italy, the largest epidemic area in Europe with more than 49,000 nCoV infections and nearly 5,000 deaths.
Businesses in Spain, the second largest epidemic region in Europe, also got involved.
Inditex, the world’s largest fashion group that owns many famous brands, including Zara, is considering joining small Spanish textile companies in producing masks at a number of factories.
Female prisoners in Lithuania are also producing 10,000 masks a week for use in prisons by prison guards, prisoners and lawyers, Justice Minister Elvinas Jankevicius said.
Prisoners in Hungary have produced about 300,000 masks for the country’s medical staff since February.
Workers sew masks at the workshop of Essen university hospital, eastern Germany on March 18.
Known as `Europe’s factory` due to its many factories producing cheap fast fashion, Bulgaria saw dozens of factories switch to mask production, as clothing orders were canceled amid lockdowns.
Costume makers at a closed opera house in the city of Burgas, eastern Bulgaria, also volunteered to sew masks.
A hospital in the city of Essen, Germany, has taken on the task of producing masks, with non-essential medical staff, from office workers to gardeners working from home, sewing masks for them.
German sportswear firm Trigerma and mattress maker Breckle are among many companies that have begun producing face masks.
`I’m so happy we did it. At first, I thought it was impossible, but when I saw the first 100 masks come out earlier this week, it felt amazing,` said the sales manager.
