Indiana company making clips for face masks
April 13, 2020By The Associated Press
DELPHI — A northern Indiana company is making plastic clips to protect medical workers’ ears from being irritated by the elastic straps on face masks protecting them during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hometown Shirts and Graphix temporarily closed its door after Gov. Eric Holcomb issued stay-at-home orders that extend through at least April 20 to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
But the Delphi company’s owners, Tricia and Mark Mendel, have turned their downtime into an effort make plastic clips to hold face masks’ elastic straps at the back of the users' head, rather than around the ears, where long-term use can rub the backs of ears raw.
Since early April, Hometown Shirts and Graphix and their son Nick’s company, Ikonik Graphix, have laser-cut and donated more than 3,000 clips to medical staff at Indiana hospitals and others, including nursing homes and grocery stores.
She said Hometown Shirts and Graphix recently received enough material to make 20,000 more of the clips to protect user's ears from the straps, which hold each mask tight around their face.
“I am constantly thinking of those on the frontline and can’t imagine what they are going through every day,” Tricia Mendel told the Journal & Courier.
The clips are free for frontline workers.
More on DuboisCountyHerald.com
-
County sees 9 new COVID-19 cases
The Indiana State Department of Health reported Thursday nine new COVID-19 cases in Dubois County. -
New chamber director devoted to people
Becky Hickman has always enjoyed helping people succeed by connecting them to resources. -
County records 8 new COVID-19 cases
The Indiana State Department of Health reported Wednesday eight new COVID-19 cases in Dubois County. -
County sees 5 COVID-19 deaths, 5 new cases
The Indiana State Department of Health reported Tuesday five new COVID-19 deaths in Dubois... -
Man injured in crash with stopped school bus
A Birdseye man was flown to an Evansville hospital with a head injury after his pickup truck... -
County sees 12 more COVID-19 cases
The Indiana State Department of Health has reported since Friday 12 new COVID-19 cases in Dubois... -
Former Herald photographer takes top award
Former Herald photographer Marlena Sloss was named 2020 Indiana Photographer of the Year this... -
Fire destroys several houseboats at Hoosier Hills Marina
A fire at the Hoosier Hills Marina at Patoka Lake engulfed nearly a dozen houseboats Friday...