Underwear, vegetables and plastic bags can be used in the fight against the coronavirus, says artist Max Siedentopf.

Siedentopf, a Namibian-born German designer based in London, created a series of illustrations showing how everyday items can be used as protective masks.

Currently, the global demand for medical masks is increasing, as people try to protect themselves against the virus.

Siedentopf’s project, titled How-To Survive A Deadly Global Virus, suggests a variety of materials that could be used as an alternative to conventional masks.

“As the epidemic is now spreading all over the world, I will mention some useful solutions on how you can use simple items in your daily life to protect yourself,” he said.

The photo set includes 12 photos, each of which is a mask made of a different material.

Includes pants, bra and even with a shoe tied to the face with laces. There is also an image of a man taking a tampon and putting it on his face.

Plastic items worn as face coverings include a large plastic water bottle worn around the head and a milk bottle that only covers the mouth and nose, while biodegradable options include lettuce leaves.

There is even a photo of a woman with a tent on her head.

Siedentopf was inspired to create the series after seeing images of people wearing homemade masks that went viral on social media.

“People have been sharing information about alternatives to regular masks, using things like orange peels, bras, or water bottles,” he said.

Previously, Siedentopf has faced controversy from the public. In 2018, he installed binoculars in the viewing area of ​​the Tate Modern in London to protest the construction of a Neo Bankside residential area by Roger Stirk Harbor and Partner, who sued the management of the hall that exhibits art for violating secrets. internal.

The coronavirus outbreak originated in Wuhan, China on December 31. Efforts to contain the virus have failed and it has now spread across the globe, with cases reported in Europe, North America and the Middle East.

Some 10,000 people have died after contracting the virus and the World Health Organization considers it a global emergency.

Siedentopf’s suggestions are not really effective protection against the Corona virus. Additionally, wearing a mask for too long can even put the wearer at higher risk of infection, as it only traps viral particles, rather than inactivating them. Masks are most useful for people who are already sick because they stop germs from spreading.

Instead, the World Health Organization recommends that you wash your hands frequently, wear medical masks only once, and that cloth masks be cleaned after use, and keep your distance from others. The WHO has published basic protective measures against the coronavirus on its website.

Update: Following criticism of the project, Siedentopf apologized for the ill effects caused by the series.