Monroe County announced a major effort to ensure residents protect themselves from COVID-19 by distributing more than a million face coverings beginning this weekend.
The county says the coordinated effort is a work in progress and made possible by the federal CARES Act.
Masks will be available at 20 distribution sites in Monroe County this coming Saturday, May 9th and then again on Wednesday May 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
A full list of distribution sites can be found below.
"We are utilizing the resources the county has been able to gather to provide face coverings to those residents who need them and we'll be working with the city of Rochester, town and village governments to distribute these face coverings at no additional cost or fee," said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello.
"We want local communities within certain guidelines to be really making the judgment about where they want to put their resources, what the response ought to be,” said Congressman Joseph Morelle (D- 25th Congressional District). “I think this step today is clearly an initiative of the county. We're pleased to be able to get the resources."
United Way President and CEO Jaime Saunders said the need for more homemade masks from the community is still there.
Monroe County Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Michael Mendoza urges the use of face coverings as residents begin to venture back out as part of the economic reopening process.
"I again want to underscore the importance of continuing to maintain that physical distance of continuing to be mindful of our hand hygiene, and our environmental disinfection,” Mendoza said. “ And again, to reissue the call to wear a face covering or a mask and public whenever there's a possibility that you will not be able to maintain that six foot physical distance between yourself and others. This is especially important now as we look ahead to reopening businesses, and to reconnecting with our loved ones and our friends."
Officials say they hope this massive mask distribution will prevent what they call any lapse in social distancing or refusal to wear a face covering.
"Now's not the time not to give up. And it's not to undo all that sacrifice has been made in this community, but to now look at how we move forward, how we start to reopen in the phases ahead,” Bello said. “And one of the most critical components of doing that is utilizing face coverings."
The Towns of Ogden and Perinton are accepting food donations at today's mask distribution events. If you live in city of Rochester, five masks will be delivered to your door sometime next week.
Mayor Lovely Warren says the city will mail close to half a million of those masks provided by county to nearly 96,000 mailing addresses in Rochester.