Want a drink during the coronavirus pandemic? There’s a (non-approved) mask for that
There are so many things that we once loved doing that have now been stopped short by the COVID-19 pandemic: dining out, hanging out with friends and family, simple shopping, going to the movies, or going to your local bar, all of it has been either altered or stopped altogether in today’s post-coronavirus world.
But taking a sip of a cold drink on a hot day is not one of those things thanks to some designers. Or, at least, it unofficially isn’t one of those things.
A new trend that’s popular with those who are looking to stay safe are face masks that feature a cloth-hole made for a straw so the wearer can drink out of the mask without removing it.
However, a caveat for these particular types of masks is that you should always toss out masks that no longer protect the orifices on your face.
“Throw out any masks that no longer cover your nose and mouth, have stretched out or damaged straps, can’t stay on your face or have holes or tears in the fabric,” the Los Angeles Times said.
Despite the warnings, they’ve become quite popular with people.
Ellen Macomber Face Masks
Fashion designer Ellen Macomber has already sold out of her special face masks designed to allow wearers to sip through a little flap of fabric that closes like a trap door.
“You can use them to social-distance and drink,” she said to NOLA.com. “Instead of taking your mask on and off and touching your face and all that. And if you’re talking, you’re not going to be spitting all over the place.”
Macomber’s first batch of masks are already sold out on her website, but will hopefully be restocked soon.
Yunho’s Face Masks
A K-Pop group member Yunho (who is a part of TVXO) submitted the patent for a face mask design that comes with a detachable cap in front so you can remove it when you’re ready to take a sip of a beverage.
“I wear masks often and wondered, ‘Is there a way to drink water easily without removing the mask?’” Yunho said, according to Ubergizmo.com. “I thought about it with a friend, and ended up filing a patent for the design.”
The DrinkThru Mask by Dr. Aurora Fernandez de Castro
Valves that allow the wearer to be opened without removing their masks appear to be hot commodity for mask designers. Dr. Aurora Fernandez de Castro invented one with a valve that can be opened, but only for limited amount of times per wearing session.
Etsy Shop Masks
Of course Etsy shop owners are finding that these particular masks are raging with people emerging from quarantine who would rather just sip through their masks while in public instead of lifting it off their face and exposing themselves to germs. Here are some of the most affordable ones we found:
- Drinking Mask (unisex in men and women’s sizes) $16
- Bar Mask (comes in a variety of colors) $15
- Adult Drinking Mask (gag gift) $8
- Straw Mask (able to fit a straw through) $13
- Face Mask For Adults (another straw mask) $16
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 8:57 AM with the headline "Want a drink during the coronavirus pandemic? There’s a (non-approved) mask for that."