KYODO NEWS - Apr 15, 2020 - 17:54 | Sports, All, Coronavirus, Japan

Tokujin Yoshioka, the Japanese designer who created the torch designs for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic relays, has shared a method for making do-it-yourself face shields aimed at helping health care workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak.

"I'd like to share my quick and simple face shield idea for emergency situations where there is a shortage of medical supplies," Yoshioka said on his website Tuesday. "I hope this can be of some help to health care workers."

[Photo courtesy of Tokujin Yoshioka]

In a video posted on his website and social media, Yoshioka demonstrates how to construct his face shields in three steps, which include putting a template on top of a clear plastic sheet, cutting around the template, and making holes where the shield can be attached to glasses and worn.

I'm grateful to the brave and dedicated healthcare workers for fighting the contagious disease.

I hope my quick and easy face shield idea for emergency can be of any help to you.



Template: https://t.co/nGfOYex6DD#coronavirus #covid19 #EasytoMakeFaceShield #tokujinyoshioka pic.twitter.com/OnjB89Esgv — TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA 吉岡徳仁 (@TokujinYoshioka) April 14, 2020

The template is available on his website.

The video begins with the message, "With sincere gratitude to all health care workers around the world."

An acclaimed designer and artist, Yoshioka used the shape of Japan's iconic cherry blossoms as a motif for the official Olympic and Paralympic torches.

The Tokyo Olympic flame was lit in Greece and transported to Japan last month, but the domestic leg of the torch relay was canceled just before its scheduled March 26 start after the games were postponed until next summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Related coverage:

Olympics: Tokyo 2020 gets cherry blossom design in torch of "hope"