Share your #MaskSelfie with us and help document the coronavirus pandemic for future generations
Venture outside at the moment – whether to buy essentials, travel to work or for daily exercise – and you’ll often see people wearing a mask or face covering. Perhaps you have worn one too.
From scarfs to surgical masks, many of us are covering our nose and mouth to protect ourselves and others from the coronavirus.
The current Government advice is to wear ‘face coverings’ on public transport or in shops where social distancing is difficult. Scientific evidence supports this, suggesting masks and face coverings may help curb the pandemic by stopping those who are infectious but symptom-free from infecting others.
Homemade masks are an increasingly common sight, combining infection control with ingenuity, unique design and materials. They illustrate both medical and personal responses to the pandemic, providing an opportunity to publicly express our personality and identity at a time when normal social interactions are challenging.
To help capture a snapshot of life during the pandemic, we’re asking you to submit a selfie with your homemade mask.
Share your #MaskSelfie with us on social media (by tagging @sciencemuseum on Twitter or Instagram) or via email and we’ll display it below, documenting your unique responses to coronavirus through homemade masks. We can’t wait to discover the stories behind your homemade masks.
Later, once it’s safe to do so, we aim to add a selection of these masks to the Science Museum Group Collection (we’ll be in touch if we are interested in your mask) as part of our Collecting COVID-19 Project.
For your own safety, please do not post any masks to us now.
Together with prototype medical devices, ‘Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives’ signage from the Government’s daily briefing and other coronavirus related items, the homemade masks that join our collection will provide a permanent record of medical, scientific, cultural and personal responses to the pandemic.
— 🌟Rachel Konichiwakitty🎀 (@konichiwakitty) June 26, 2020
I’ve just given plasma as part of the NHS Convalescent Plasma Trial. I’m super squeamish but the nurses were brilliant & I’m really happy my bout of Covid might help someone else. Do consider signing up – they need more donors: https://t.co/BWCD9dcPy6pic.twitter.com/NxKvI7zOX1
@sciencemuseum here’s my #MaskSelfie – I made masks for my whole family from Liberty-print offcuts lined w an old pillowcase! Mine have pipe cleaners along the top edge to improve fit and minimise steaming-up of glasses. pic.twitter.com/eou1LlhZaK