former apple engineer shares a simple DIY fix to seal your surgical mask

in response to the global shortage of N95 masks, former apple employees sabrina paseman and megan duong established an open source project to seal surgical masks. using a piece of rubber sheet or just plain rubber bands, the hospital tested and research backed method offers a quick solution for hospital staff or key workers on the frontline of COVID-19. 

all images and videos courtesy of fix the mask

the first method to fix the mask requires a rubber sheet. you can then download the template for the ‘DIY surgical mask brace’ from the website here. after carefully cutting around the paper template with scissors, use a pen to mark the shape on the rubber sheet. then cut out the rubber sheet and you’ll be left with a brace that can be fixed onto a standard surgical mask in just seconds. the design is easy to clean and robust and reusable.

if you don’t have rubber sheet to hand, three rubber bands can also work. by simply knotting the bands together to create a chain, you can fix it on top of your surgical mask to seal it tightly. simple and effective, these two solutions aim to reduce the wearer’s risk of exposure to COVID-19 particles.

‘we’ve all been perplexed by the shortage of safe personal protective equipment available at a time when hospitals are in dire need. each of us has a relative, partner, or friend working on the front-lines, and we couldn’t just sit by idle. so, we had to fix the mask.’ – fix the mask

project info:

project name: fix the mask