(Ithaca, N.Y.) - The Tompkins County Health Department, Department of Emergency Response, and County Administration, in partnership with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, will distribute adult-sized KN95 face masks to the community on Thursday, February 10 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on the Ithaca Commons. The event will be set up in the center of the Commons at Trolley Circle, in front of Center Ithaca. The event is outdoors, open to the public, and the masks are free of charge.
As announced earlier this week, Tompkins County purchased 250,000 KN95 face masks through NYS funding. The masks are being distributed through multiple community partners and municipalities. Please refer to the TCHD website or call 2-1-1 for information on where masks are available.
Due to their tight fit around the face, KN95 masks provide better protection than cloth or surgical masks and are recommended to be worn when you are indoors around others, especially if you are around people who are ill, who may not be vaccinated against COVID-19, or with those who are at higher risk of severe illness. KN95 masks are also recommended to be worn by immunocompromised individuals and seniors who are at higher risk of severe illness from the virus.
How to Wear a KN95 Mask
- Ensure a tight fit around your cheeks and adjust the nose clip for a close fit;
- A tight seal stops air flow through the sides of the mask; you should not feel air movement out the sides;
- KN95 masks are recommended for one-time use but can be reused until they become dirty, stretched or are no longer able to provide a tight seal.
KN95 masks are available for purchase online and in retail stores. Additional information about KN95 masks, including an instructional video on how to wear them, and information on sourcing authentic high-quality masks, can be found on the Health Department’s website.
Frank Kruppa, Tompkins County Public Health Director stated, “We are happy to announce this distribution event today to better equip our community with high-quality masks that provide an extra layer of protection. We thank the City and Downtown Ithaca Alliance for their assistance in organizing this event.”
Kruppa continued, “Our community has done an excellent job following guidance and using prevention methods to protect themselves and others. While we hope the spread of Omicron is subsiding, the virus is still present, and the Tompkins County mask advisory is still in effect. Based on the CDC’s community transmission levels, Tompkins County continues to be a high transmission area with over 100 cases per 100,000 residents. I ask everyone to be patient and continue to take precautions, get vaccinated, and stay home if sick.”
The Tompkins County Health Department is your partner for a healthy community. Find us online at www2.TompkinsCountyNY.gov/health, and follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TompkinsPublicHealth and on Twitter at @TompkinsHealth. Sign up to receive COVID-19 updates or other county announcements via email or text.
Media contact: Samantha Hillson, 607-274-6714 or shillson@tompkins-co.org
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