As Whatcom works to reopen, 110,000 masks going to businesses and people who need them
A total of 100,000 disposable face masks are in a warehouse, waiting to be distributed to Whatcom businesses that need them as the county moves to reopen from COVID-19 restrictions.
Whatcom Unified Command, the multi-governmental agency overseeing the local pandemic response, bought the non-medical masks so that businesses that are reopening can follow a directive from the county health officer that went into effect May 22.
The goal is to obtain masks for businesses and residents that might not otherwise be able to afford them, including older adults and those who are homeless.
In addition, Gov. Jay Inslee is requiring businesses where workers regularly have contact with each other or with customers, such as being within 6 feet of them, to make masks available to their employees. That requirement starts Monday, June 8.
The 100,000 disposable face masks will be distributed to various Chambers of Commerce in Whatcom County that will then give them to businesses, according to Scott McCreery, the current incident commander for Whatcom Unified Command.
The businesses can offer the masks to their workers and customers, McCreery told the Whatcom County Council on Tuesday, June 2.
Businesses don’t need to be members of the Chambers of Commerce to get the masks.
Whatcom Unified Command will let businesses know where to get the masks moving forward, McCreery said, because unified command doesn’t intend to be a long-term supplier to businesses.
The Bellingham Herald on Tuesday asked the unified command for additional information about the masks, including costs, and is waiting to hear back.
The Whatcom County directive for residents is voluntary. It strongly urges people to wear cloth coverings when they’re in any public space, indoor and outdoor, where it’s difficult stay 6 feet away from other people they don’t live with. The directive also applies to certain shared workplaces.
Public spaces include grocery stores, pharmacies, garden stores and restaurant take-out businesses, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.
Masks, or other cloth face coverings such as scarves and bandannas, are needed because the new coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 illness, spreads easily by respiratory droplets, the Whatcom County Health Department has said.
Public health officials also recommend wearing masks because people can be sick with COVID-19 and not have symptoms yet transmit the virus to others while near them by speaking, coughing or sneezing.
Unified Command also is working on a second face mask effort as it relates to the directive to wear masks when out in public in Whatcom County.
That involves buying and distributing 10,000 cloth face masks to low-income Whatcom County residents, McCreery said.
The preferred supplier that officials are getting ready to order from is in Seattle and the masks would be made in Colorado at a cost of $1.75 to $2 a mask, according to McCreery.
They would be available in a week.
This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
