With face cover required, Whatcom distributes 137,000 masks for low-income residents

With masks now required in most public spaces in Washington to fight the new coronavirus, Whatcom County has shared 137,000 masks from the state with social service agencies for their clients.

State officials purchased 3.6 million masks in June, according to a state Health Department news release. The masks will be distributed to people below 200% of the federal poverty line, which equates to a family of four with a $52,400 income.

Locally, the masks were distributed in bundles to social service partners by Whatcom Unified Command, the multi-governmental agency that’s directing local pandemic response. Those agencies have (or will) distribute them to their clients and subsidiary agencies, according to an email from unified command spokesperson Amy Cloud.

The masks were distributed to agencies including food banks, Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, all public school districts, Whatcom Homeless Service Center, Council on Aging, Opportunity Council and SeaMar, among others.

Masks for the school districts were apportioned based on the districts’ free or reduced lunch program numbers, Cloud wrote.

“Anyone who meets the state’s criteria and who has not received a mask, could contact North Sound Accountable Community of Health or their local food bank,” Cloud wrote.

The mask order, which took effect Friday, June 26, applies to people inside or in line to enter any indoor public space, in a healthcare setting, waiting for or riding public transit, or using any for-hire vehicle. Additionally, people must wear masks outdoors if they cannot keep 6 feet away from people not in their household.

Secretary of Health John Wiesman signed the order Wednesday, June 24, following an announcement by Gov. Jay Inslee the day before.

The mandate comes as the state has confirmed 30,855 cases, 4,194 hospitalizations and 1,304 deaths related to COVID-19 as of 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 25. Meanwhile, there have been 588 confirmed cases, 53 hospitalizations and 40 deaths in Whatcom County.

Wiesman said in the news release that face coverings help limit the spread of infected droplets between people as they talk, cough or sneeze.

“I appreciate the efforts of those who are already regularly wearing face coverings in public and urge others to join us in taking this critical step to control the virus,” Weisman said in the news release. “Each of us has a part to play to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.”

People can wear masks made of cloth, such as a scarf, bandana or sewn material with ties or straps holding it firmly in place over the mouth and nose. Ideally, these masks should be washed after each use or at least daily, according to a news release.

The order does not require people to wear masks while outside, seated at a restaurant or engaged in outdoor or indoor exercise as long as there is at least 6 feet of distance between people not of the same household.

People can also remove their masks if it hinders essential communication with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing and if obtaining a service requires their temporary removal. Additionally, a mask can be removed while sleeping, confirming a person’s identity or when federal law prohibits face coverings.

There are also exceptions to the order for children younger than 5 years old and people with medical conditions, mental health conditions or disabilities. Children younger than 5 years are not advised to wear masks because the face covering could suffocate them, according to the order.