A screenshot of the video Sierra View Medical Center references for its instructions on how medical masks should be made by YouTube publisher Xobon Magazine

A South Valley hospital is stitching together an effort to make new masks — and reaching out to sewers and seamstresses alike to aid fulfill the need for protective equipment.

Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville released a custom pattern along with guidelines to those in the community handy with a sewing machine to fabricate masks for the hospital.

Hospitals are “desperately short” of personal protective equipment such as masks to help protect health care workers against COVID-19 virus. Robin Cunha, volunteer coordinator at Sierra View, called on the community to fill that need.

“My main concern when tasked with this project was to help provide protection to the medical staff that need to treat patients everyday regardless of the ever-changing pandemic of this virus,” said Robin. “I’m proud to contribute to something where we can come together as a community and solve a problem that can potentially save people from getting very sick.”

A link at Sierra View’s website offers instructions for sewers to put together the masks. Questions can be directed to marketing@sierra-view.com. To donate masks, contact Robin Cunha at 559-788-6076.