Mask wearing is strongly encouraged in some places and mandatory in others. The CDC has said that the use of face masks can slow the spread of the virus. A rising number of states now require that masks be worn in public. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia now mandate masks in public — a list that was joined by Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

They have given us guidelines on how to wear masks, how to wash them, and the 5 features a cloth mask should have.

5 things to look for in a cloth face mask
Fit snugly but comfortably against your face.
Be secured with ties or ear loops.
Include multiple layers of fabric.
Allow for breathing without restriction.
Be able to be laundered and machine dried
Masks can be uncomfortable, especially in the hot weather, and getting our teens to wear them might be tricky. So with summer upon us we asked our Grown and Flown parents which masks they found most comfortable and breathable.

Masks need to be carefully chosen to fit teens’ smaller face sizes.

Hockey equipment company making face shields for medical professionals

Bauer Hockey, the manufacturer of hockey equipment and apparel for the NHL, will make protective visors for first responders after the coronavirus pandemic forced the suspension of the hockey season.

“Right now, we're all on the same team. We're repurposing our facilities to make face shields so that medical professionals battling COVID-19 can safely continue to help those most vulnerable,” the company said in an Instagram post Wednesday.

"We contacted Quebec government officials to tell them about our project. We are awaiting their authorization and will be ready to launch our production as soon as we have received the green light,” Dan Bourgeois, vice president of Bauer's product innovation, told Canadian sports news site RDS.ca, Newsweek reported. “We could deliver our first visors as of next week.”

Bourgeois said a number of the 50 to 80 people normally tasked with making skates for professional players are now working from home amid the pandemic. The virus has led to at least 2,792 confirmed cases and 27 deaths in Canada, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau entered quarantine after his wife tested positive for the virus.

The company’s current model is intended for single use, he added, but he said the company is currently developing one for multiple uses. He told Newsweek the company is also prepared to offer the visors to medical professionals in the U.S., telling the magazine, "We are also deploying the same products to our manufacturing site in Liverpool, New York."

Hurricanes model trio of cloth face masks for annual team photo

"We know we have to do this to give us a chance," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "No one knows what's going on with this (virus), but we're being told if you wear this, it gives you a better chance to not get it or give it to other people. That's the message, plain and simple."

The players and staff were wearing three different types of masks. One had a large Hurricanes logo across the front on a split red and black background. Another had many small team logos on a black background and the third just read "CANES" with the storm flag inside the "C" in all capital letters across the front.

"I think guys are having fun with it," Hurricanes goalie James Reimer said. "Obviously you're trying to do your part. You had the Canes logos on there, and it is different. I think everyone is looking forward to a time when wearing masks won't be necessary, so you're just kind of grinding it out now and trying to make the best of it."

North Carolina governor and longtime Hurricanes fan Ray Cooper tweeted his approval of the picture and emphasized the importance of wearing a mask during the pandemic.Florida Panthers Team NHL Face Coverings

Early Days – Little to No Protective Equipment
In the early days of hockey, there were no helmets, facemasks, or any sort of protective equipment, it just wasn’t anyone’s top priority. Not surprisingly, facial lacerations, concussions, and other head injuries were pretty common. It was rare in those days to see an NHL player who wasn’t missing a few front teeth.

The first hockey player to regularly wear a helmet was George Owen when he played for the Boston Bruins from 1928-29. Back then, helmets and protective gear weren’t required to play the game. In fact, due to peer and fan pressure, many players felt ridiculed and ashamed to wear a helmet.

The 1960s
Despite the repeated injuries, lacerations, concussions, and knocked-out teeth, the majority of hockey players refused to don protective gear for the next 40 years, until an incident in the late 1960’s would change the outlook on safety in hockey.

During a Minnesota North Stars game in January of 1968, Bill Masterton, the center for the North Stars, was skating towards an open puck after a pass. Before he could maneuver out of the way, two opposing players body checked him causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards, slamming his unprotected head into the hard ice.

Modern-Day NHL Helmets
As technology has progressed, so has the technology that goes into hockey helmets, and sporting helmets of all kinds. As concussions and lingering head injuries become a growing problem for players during their careers, and even after they retire, helmets are an ever important part of the game.Carolina Hurricanes Team NHL Face Coverings

The hockey community can now showcase the support of their favorite team in a safe manner as the NHL announced today it has licensed FOCO to manufacture a product line of branded cloth face coverings for all 31 of the league's teams. The merchandise will be sold in packs of three for $24.99 on NHLShop.com.

"The health, well-being and safety of our fans and all communities across Canada, the United States and around the world, is our number one priority," said Kim Davis, NHL's executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs. "We're committed to assisting in the effort to support the face covering guidelines from the CDC and Health Canada with the important benefit and outcome of helping food banks across the U.S. and Canada in their efforts to feed people in need during this unprecedented time."

"As a longtime licensee of the NHL, FOCO is proud to participate in the NHL's campaign to support the COVID-19 relief efforts of Feeding America and Food Bank Canada," said Michael Lewis, CEO of FOCO. "In addition to manufacturing the face coverings, FOCO will also be making contributions to support the two organizations' efforts."

The use of cloth face coverings is one of the ways to limit the community spread of the coronavirus, which also includes washing your hands often, social distancing and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

As the vast majority of Americans lack the experience of living through a contagion, stylizing cloth face coverings may encourage more citizens to practice the safety precautions needed to help reduce the spread of the respiratory virus.NHL Face Coverings