Dr. Katie McBrine is a Pediatrician at Healthcare South in Scituate, MA who started to make her own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when the hospital ran out. Students, parents, and staff from our Somerville, MA schools joined online last Thursday, May 7th to learn how to make simple masks without any sewing involved.

With an old T-shirt and a pair of scissors in hand, students and parents followed Dr. McBrine’s easy steps, whipping up homemade masks in minutes! Afterwards, she shared an overview of the pandemic, explaining that just like how Kleenex is one brand of tissues you can buy, COVID-19 is one type of coronavirus you can get. 

Then Dr. McBrine set the record straight and revealed which COVID-19 statements were fact or fiction. With so much new information discovered every day, it’s important for students to know which are real or not. The fact that most students, parents and staff guessed fiction? A sneeze can in fact travel as far as 26 feet, making it all the more important to wear masks when in public spaces. 

Ever supporting in the background were our Teaching Fellows Kayla, Maria, and Olivia, who worked behind the scenes to address any technical issues with students. We all struggle with technical issues and kids are no exception! 

The students and parents were then shown a video from Amanda Davis, a New York City resident who is making gowns for medical workers through the Broadway Relief Project: COVID-19. 

For the final part of the Virtual Learning Hour, students and parents got to ask Dr. McBrine any questions. One parent asked, what are the precautions taken for a child with asthma? Which cleaning agents are best for COVID-19? How long should the disinfectant stay on surfaces before wiping? Dr. McBrine answered each of these questions without pause, providing students and parents with the information they need to protect themselves. 

Our staff and Teaching Fellows joined the Virtual Learning Hour and will be sharing the recordings on Google Classrooms and Seesaw so more students can make protective gear and know facts from fiction.