Need a face mask? We have you covered

Did you know wearing a face mask, even a very simple one, can keep droplets from your breath, coughs and sneezing from spreading in the air to other people?

A recent study of more than 100 patients infected with various viral illnesses demonstrated that a mask blocks nearly all viral droplets and some aerosol particles from lingering in the air – and being inhaled by people around you.

That’s why, as coronavirus continues to spread across the country, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend people wear a face mask when out in public – so people who may have the virus and are asymptomatic do not infect others, especially those with higher risk of complications.

No, Arizona is not one of the seven states now requiring residents to don masks when they go out to do essential food shopping or pick up prescriptions at the drug store. But federal public health officials maintain they are an effective way to slow the spread of the virus.

And while some kind-hearted people in the Maricopa community are making masks and putting them in the hands of residents trying to adhere to CDC advice, others may need a mask to wear out in public.

On Wednesday afternoon, InMaricopa passed out dozens of free masks to families. Our next distributions will be Thursday and Friday in a drive-thru from noon to 1 p.m. each day in the parking lot of our offices at 44400 W. Honeycutt Road. Please enter the lot from the westernmost driveway, stay in your vehicle and proceed slowly to the canopy where an InMaricopa.com staffer will distribute masks to you.

A second distribution on Friday, from 5 to 6 p.m.

As part of its community effort to protect the community from the virus, InMaricopa.com reached out to Maricopa fire Chief Brady Leffler and Maricopa police Chief Steve Stahl to ask if they needed face masks for their firefighters and officers. Both responded their supplies of PPE are adequate for now.

InMaricopa.com encourages all residents who do not have face mask protection to pick up enough for your family members.

---

To continue to grow our local coverage of COVID-19’s impact on Maricopa in the difficult weeks to come while continuing our day-to-day newsgathering, we are partnering with the Local Media Association’s foundation to ask our readers to help with a tax-deductible donation at InMaricopa.com/LocalCoverage.