With masks now required in Anchorage’s indoor public spaces, the city is distributing 16,500 face coverings to those who can’t acquire them on their own.
“When Mayor Berkowitz released Emergency Order 13, mandating face coverings in public buildings, we wanted to be sure as many municipal residents as possible had access to a mask,” Municipal Manager Bill Falsey said. “We strategically partnered with community groups and other municipal departments to help distribute masks to those who otherwise may not be able to get one.”
The masks will be distributed by Catholic Social Services, the Anchorage Public Transportation Department, the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, the Salvation Army, the Business Boutique and the Anchorage Community Land Trust.
The organizations will hand them out as needed to people who rely on their services, said Audrey Gray, spokeswoman for the Anchorage Emergency Operations Center.
For example, if someone gets on a bus without a mask, one will be given to them, Gray said.
“We looked at places that serve people who might not otherwise be able to get a mask,” Gray said.
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The masks are a mix of cloth and disposable face coverings, all donated to the city during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They were originally going to be given to health care workers but didn’t fit their specific needs, Gray said.
The city plans to give out 20,000 more masks, but there isn’t a date set for a second distribution, she said.
Working with other organizations to distribute the masks works much better than the city trying to have a central distribution location, according to Gray.
“It’s just very labor intensive and takes a lot of staffing to do that,” she said.
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