MCC Daily Tribune

Monroe County to Distribute Free Face Coverings Starting Tomorrow

Monroe County will make more than 1 million face masks available to County residents free of charge with the help of local community partners. A list of distribution sites and times is posted online. Distribution begins tomorrow, May 9.

The County has also made 500,000 masks available to the City of Rochester. City leaders will announce distribution plans at a later date.

In a news release issued May 6, County Executive Adam Bello said face coverings will continue to play a vital role in keeping community spread low and the public safe from COVID-19 as the County and the Finger Lakes region begin to slowly reopen the local economy.

"We have preached the importance of regularly washing or sanitizing your hands, maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet from others and wearing a face covering when out in public," Bello said in the news release. "We are taking it a step further by working with our local government partners to provide residents with more of those much-needed face coverings free of charge. This is a necessary step in our continued efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the public health of our community."

The face coverings were secured through funding for Monroe County under the federal CARES Act, with the support of Rep. Joseph Morelle and Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

For more information about the distribution events, go to www.monroecounty.gov.

Rosanna Yule
Government and Community Relations
05/08/2020