NYC To Distribute 7.5M Face Masks To Curb Spread Of Coronavirus

NEW YORK, NY — New York City is launching a massive drive to distribute millions of masks to residents in the coming weeks to help New Yorkers comply with state mandates requiring residents to wear face coverings while in public, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday.

City workers will be distributing masks at locations such as public housing complexes, city parks, grab-and-go meal sites, grocery stores and anywhere the NYPD or other workers have been sent to enforce social distancing rules, de Blasio said. The mayor said: "Wherever you turn, you're going to be offered a face covering."

"I know that putting on a face covering isn't necessarily fun, I know that as the weather gets warmer it may feel inconvenient, sometimes you don't remember it. But this of this to motivate you. When you put on a face covering you are reducing the spread of this disease and taking one small step toward normalcy," de Blasio said Monday.

The city's goal is to distributed 7.5 million face coverings in the coming weeks. The city has a stockpile of 5 million non-medical masks and 2.5 million cloth masks, de Blasio said. The mayor reminded people during his Monday press briefing that most masks don't need to be thrown away after one use.

City workers began handing out masks this past weekend, mainly in city parks as residents flocked to the green spaces to take advantage of warm weather, de Blasio said. In the coming weeks the city will enhance its distribution network to reach all of New York City's neighborhoods, the mayor said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order in mid-April requiring New Yorkers to wear face coverings in public situations where social distancing is not possible. These situations include public transportation, grocery stores and as the weather brings more people outside, parks. New Yorkers can be issued a summons for violating social distancing mandates. This weekend, the NYPD issued more than 50 summonses across the city, NYPD Comissioner Dermot Shea said.

For the most part, New Yorkers have respected the face covering order, de Blasio said Monday.

"The vast majority of people are complying, we want to see a lot more compliance going forward. Protecting each other reduces the spread of the disease, and gets us one step closer to normalcy," de Blasio said.

Through the month of March — when the coronavirus outbreak was first detected and spread throughout New York City — city and state officials maintained that there was no need for New Yorkers to wear face coverings. Mayor de Blasio and Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot did not recommend city residents wear masks whiles outside until April 2. City employees weren't mandated to wear masks at work until Monday, April 13.