MACON, Ga. — Nationwide, there's a shortage of personal protective equipment. Healthcare workers and first responders know the importance of the equipment firsthand.
One Perry nurse has put her skills of sewing to the test to do her part.
Terresa Sekhar has always loved sewing--from making Christmas tree skirts to quilts.
"I'm out here in my studio sewing whenever I can, and I've been hoarding fabric like crazy for the past few years," Sekhar told WMAZ over Skype.
However, when COVID-19 hit, Sekhar's hobby turned into an essential service.
"When we saw what was happening in Albany, my husband and I said there's going to be a need for this," Sekhar said. "So I started making masks. I started using different types of patterns, troubleshooting things...and my husband would try them and say 'this one is good…this one is good.' He's a physician."
She began giving masks to birth and delivery nurses at Houston Healthcare where she works as a nurse. Then, more and more requests came in.
"A friend of mine called me asking one for her and her husband. He's a Houston County Sheriff's deputy," Sekhar said.
Sekhar began donating them to nurses and law enforcement agencies like Bibb County Sheriff's Office and Perry Police Department. Those agencies have expressed their gratitude
"In this time, we're having to look to the community. We've had an outpouring of support for our local community and not just from the citizens but from the citizens, too," said Sgt. Jason Jones with Perry Police Department.
"They're on the front lines. They're going to encounter a person who quite possibly has that illness before anybody else knows," Sheriff David Davis told WMAZ over a FaceTime call.
Sekhar has made a variety of masks that go with personal protective equipment like covers that go over N95 masks.
"We're not supposed to, but now, we're having to use N95 masks more than once so the covers just kind of protect it from being soiled or dirty," Sekhar said.
Sekhar says she's going to keep on making these masks. So far, Sekhar says she has made between 350 and 400 masks within two weeks.
"I'm going to do what I can and give what I can," Sekhar said.
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