In the coming weeks, New York City employees will be handing out seven and a half million face coverings in another effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. About five million of these will be masks while the rest will be cloth face coverings. Mayor Bill de Blasio says they are free and he is urging New Yorkers to wear them outside.
“I know as the weather gets warmer, it may feel inconvenient, sometimes you don’t remember it. But think about this to motivate you. When you put on that face covering, you are reducing the spread of this disease and taking one small step towards normalcy.”
The face coverings will be distributed at parks, NYCHA buildings, grab and go food sites and many other places around the city.
Meanwhile, New York City is no longer razor thin on personal protective equipment for those battling coronavirus. From Masks to gloves to surgical gowns, for the first time since March, Mayor de Blasio says the city has enough protective equipment for the week
“We can finally ensure for the whole week ahead that every hospital, that every nursing home will get what they need.”
The mayor says once inventory increases to 14 days the city will build up a reserve.
“This is something that is going to grow and it’s not only going to be about stockpiling, it’s going to be about ensuring we have the capacity to build things right here.”
Because he says there may be a second coronavirus wave.