Guelph General Hospital has launched a new initiative it says will save medical masks for those that need them the most.

The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital is launching the Sewing Mask Challenge — calling on residents to make their own masks which will then go to the hospital.

“Although there is no sewn face mask that can effectively replace a medical-grade mask (such as N95 masks) for our frontline workers, they can be used for other uses such as the general community, visitors or discharged patients,” a post on the foundation’s website reads.

“This allows GGH to save medical-grade masks for higher risk environments.”

After an outbreak of the coronavirus was declared in one of the hospital’s wings last month, everyone in any clinical part of the building must now wear masks.

This week, federal health officials advised homemade, non-medical face masks can add an extra layer of protection while maintaining physical distancing.

On Monday, Dr. Theresa Tam, the country’s chief public health officer, said non-medical and homemade masks can be worn by people in situations where they cannot avoid close contact with others, as they help prevent an infected individual who is showing no symptoms from spreading the virus to others.

Tam added that the non-medical masks will not prevent the wearer from getting sick.

The hospital foundation says masks can be made with clean cotton fabric, standard sewing supplies and rope elastic or beading cord elastic. If you do not have elastics available, the foundation says you can replace them with fabric or twist ties.

The foundation has made instructions available online on how to make the mask; however, if you have a different design, they will be accepted so long as they are also made with clean cotton.