UES Lawmaker Organizes Mask Giveaways

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Many Upper East Siders walking around the neighborhood are complying with health officials' recommendations to wear a mask to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but local lawmakers are determined to help any holdouts who still haven't bought or made a face covering.

Upper East Side Asssemblymember Dan Quart — whose district spans most of the Upper East Side west of Third Avenue and parts of Midtown — will be handing out masks for free in his two neighborhoods this week. These events were organized with other local lawmakers at the city and state levels.

The first will be held Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Midtown's Dag Hammarskold Plaza in partnership with City Councilmember Kieth Powers and the second will be held Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Carl Schurz Park with Councilmember Ben Kallos and Assembylmember Rebecca Seawright, a spokesperson for Quart said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order in mid-April requiring New Yorkers to cover their faces in public when it isn't possible to adhere to social-distancing rules, which say to keep six feet apart from others. New Yorkers not wearing masks risk being fined by the NYPD.

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