As we’re well into the crisis now, health experts are warning us to protect ourselves at all costs. But some people have taken the warning a little too literally. It turns out, there’s virtually nothing some of us wouldn’t do (or wear) in order to keep the virus at bay. As a result, DIY-at-home protective gear has now been spotted all around the aisle runways.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the coronapocalyptic look, which is both a fashion statement and a major faux pas. But the people sporting it couldn’t care less. Kitchen sponges, diving masks, and full-length tarpaulin suits—you name it, they wear it. Seemingly immune to strange looks, these shoppers are better safe than sorry. Except the safe part of the statement remains open to question.

#1 You Always Gotta Be Careful When Going To Supermarkets, Especially With COVID-19 Right Now

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#2 Covid Drip

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#3 Plague Doctor With Garlic Is Here

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As bizarre as some of the DIY protection examples may look, the idea itself is not completely irrational. We now know that the world is running out of face masks for the front-line medical workers. And that’s why experts advise against buying them.

The surgeon general Jerome M. Adams has tweeted: “seriously people—stop buying face masks!” Jerome claims that they’re ineffective in preventing the general public from catching the virus. His point is still a subject of debate and experts tend to have opposing views. One is clear—when leaving the medical-grade masks to professionals only, we are no longer contributing to the shortage of supplies.

#4 Remember, It Has To Be With Wings

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#5 Who Needs Face Masks, Or Hand Sanitizer When You Can Have Beskar Armour To Protect Against Corona?

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#6 This Is Going Way Too Far

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In an interview with Bored Panda, Anna Davies, who’s a research microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, explained that without testing, it’s impossible to say which DIY protection works and which doesn’t. “Without it, we just don’t know.”

However, some home-made protection may be better than others. For example, Anna is worried about a plastic bag because of the risk of suffocation. But the snorkel mask is not such a bad idea after all. “I can imagine a snorkel mask providing good barrier protection, but it can’t be very comfortable.”

Anna told us that it’s possible to make a mask at home but it wouldn’t be as good as a commercial one. But wearing a mask only isn’t enough to protect yourself. “It certainly wouldn’t be a replacement to social distancing/isolation and hand hygiene.”

The debate over whether protective masks do help to protect wearers from the virus is still on. According to Davies, “Used properly, it may help to lower overall risk of transmission,” but she adds that “there’s very little evidence for that.” Masks are most appropriate for individuals who are symptomatic. “It may lower (but not remove) the risk of transmission.”

#7 This Guy Didn’t Have A Mask, So He Came To The Orthopedist As A Polar Bear

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#8 A Stranger Took A Picture Of Me Wearing The Proper PPE For A Trip To Walmart For Just The Essentials

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#9 Facemask

But in times of crisis, it’s better to be safe than sorry. For those of us who couldn’t get their hands on protective masks, the internet has a solution—make your own. Of course, they’re not even close to being as effective as surgical masks, this study run on an influenza pandemic showed.

The New York Times has made a step by step guide to sewing a face mask from common household materials. All you need is a needle, scissors, 100% cotton fabric, and 4 strips of the same fabric (or shoelaces). But remember that wearing it correctly is as important as the mask itself. Make sure that air can’t get through the sides. Don’t forget to remove it after it gets moist and clean it (if it’s reusable) or discard it safely.

#10 What Is Going On Here?

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#11 Corona Virus Becomes Human

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#12 I Understand The Fear Of Coronavirus, But What Is That?

#13 Italians Dealing With Lack Of Face Masks

#14 How To Date On Quarantine

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#15 Shopping For The Plague

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#16 Mr. Ghost

#17 This Woman Who Came Into Our Restaurant Said This Is The Only Protective Mask She Could Find

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#18 How They Quarantine In Breaux Bridge, LA

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#19 Meanwhile In Georgia

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#20 Gotta Stay Stylish

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#21 Protection In Russia

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#22 Not The Safety We Needed, But The Safety We Deserve

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#23 Now I Can’t Touch My Face

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#24 Quarantine Fun With Mom! Only Masks Available On-Line

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#25 Not Getting The Coronavirus. Spotted In The Atlanta Airport

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#26 Another Quick Check-In On The CV Mask Situation

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#27 Man’s ‘Genius’ Way Of Protecting Himself During Coronavirus Pandemic

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#28 Ultimate Virus Protection At The Local Grocery Store

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#29 As Seen In A Supermarket In Quebec

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#30 Covid-19 Protection Bucket

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#31 This Guy’s Homemade Face Mask

#32 When Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions

#33 With No Face Masks On The Shelves, The Mighty Emperor Provides During These Troubling Times. In Perth, Western Australia

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#34 Buy A Pack Of Gum, Get Free Face Masks For Your Family

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#35 Improvise, Adapt And Overcome

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#36 Mask Shortage Improvisation

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#37 Staying Safe In Crowded Post Office

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#38 I Would Rather Have Coronavirus Than Wear A Tupperware On My Head

#39 Brescia Subway (Italy) Response To The London One

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#40 May The Force Be With You

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#41 St Jude Hospital Workers’ Makeshift Coronavirus Protection Gear Due To Lack Of Supplies

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#42 Full Body Protection

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#43 Just Corona Things

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#44 It’s Getting Serious Out Here

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#45 How To Protect Your Car From The Coronavirus

#46 When You Care About Your Health But Also Don’t Care About Your Health

#47 Next

#48 Neighbor Felt It Imperative She Go Out And Collect Opinions On The New Speed Bumps

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#49 I Think I’ve Seen It All Now

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#50 Looks Like That Inflatable Dude From Car Dealers

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#51 Vidas 1, Covid 0

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#52 A Mask With A Fresh Citrus Scent

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#53 This Plane Traveller

#54 NY Commuter Fighting Coronavirus

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#55 Going To Meet The Coronavirus In The Luchador Ring

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#56 Wrong Mask

#57 Coronavirus Protection?

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#58 When My Daughter Has No Face Mask To Go Outside But Says “Don’t Worry Dad, I Got This!”

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#59 No Masks, No Problem

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#60 Saw This During My Target Run Today

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#61 Protected

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#62 You Can Go About Your Business

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#63 Can’t Be Too Safe

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#64 I Guess That Works

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#65 What’s Going On In Here

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#66 The New Icon Of The Web, Because He Won Everything

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#67 The Force Will Protect You From Coronavirus, Luke

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#68 Who Had The Good Idea To Pull Out The Soviet Asbestos Masks?

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#69 Meanwhile In Slovakia

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#70 This Was The Best Face Protection I Had In The House For A Target Run

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#71 Not Today Satan

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#72 This Master Of Protection

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#73 Interesting Times We Live In, Huh?

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#74 It’s Corona Time

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#75 No Mask No Problem

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#76 Spotted In Maine

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#77 Hey Corona, Welcome To NYC

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#78 Corona Protection

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#79 No Mask? No Problem!

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#80 Bruh

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#81 Master Of Corona

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#82 CV Mask Situation

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#83 The Casper Eye Cover

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#84 This Are Really Getting Out Of Hand

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#85 Looks Good

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#86 You Messed With The Wrong Country Covid-19

Source: boredpanda.com