In Morelia, Michoacán, a group of civilians are creating faces masks for the protection of doctors and nurses who treat patients with COVID-1
Faced with the passivity and ineffectiveness of a federal government led by a president that says things like: “the pandemic suits our project perfectly,” citizens of Michoacan are manufacturing face masks to donate them to health workers in their state.
Thanks to a family in Morelia, Michoacan, there is now an army of citizens manufacturing with their own resources and donations, face masks for the protection of healthcare workers in different hospitals of that state, as the coronavirus pandemic gains strength in Mexico.
Those masks have been donated to the personnel of health centers and hospitals.
They work day and night, inside and outside a tapestry workshop in the capital of Michoacán that has received all kinds of volunteers, from civilians to state police officers.
The project was the idea of Juan Sergio Méndez López, his wife, and son, who designed the masks by themselves.
This gear is made from acetate, elastic bands, and other materials. The first ones were paid from the family’s savings.
For Méndez López, it was inhuman that staff from different hospitals had to go to work without protective measures to face the pandemic.
The first design of this reusable mask was tested by his son, whom Sergio Méndez said is “My model and motivation.”
“We might not be able to donate money for the hospital workers, but one way or another we are going to give them these reusable face masks,” Sergio posted on his social networks.
He said that people in Michoacán will not stay still and do nothing if they see healthcare workers attending COVID-19 patients without protection.
“It’s not possible. They are sending them to the slaughterhouse, but we need thousands [of masks]; please, help us give basic security measures to those who are in the front line of risk and care,” he expressed.
“Stay home, but help us with materials; we have enough to make hundreds, but we need thousands.” Sergio insisted.
As days went by, this citizen project began to grow until it became a human army, and the resources for the elaboration of this gear starte coming little by little.
Civilians joined the project with economic support and materials, not only from Morelia, but from other parts of Mexico too.
The first ones to join with donations or their own work were relatives of nurses, doctors, and paramedics. Even Central American migrants are helping.
This social wave is now going to take a second step: Distribute the gear in private and public hospital centers.
They have also given health workers sanitizing gel and gloves donated by civilians.
“For people like you, the battle is worth it. Thank you,” was the message that some hospital staff in Michoacán sent to Sergio Méndez López via social networks.
Doctors, nurses, and their families have visited the workshop to thank everyone that is helping to take care of those who save lives.
They also urged people to take care of themselves and stay at home, but to use their time in activities that are good for society.
Sergio added: “Now, we won’t stop until we have reached the goal of every nurse and doctor having their own face mask made with love and respect.”
He trusts that, in order to do so, they will keep receiving donations to manufacture more face masks that are already being used by healthcare workers in clinics and hospitals in the state of Michoacan.
