Free Milwaukee masks: Over 1 million N95s distributed
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Health Department confirmed all one million N95 masks have been distributed to those interested, a release said Friday afternoon.
The Milwaukee Health Department announced that the library and health clinic sites would have masks available again Thursday after running out of its initial 500,000 mask allotment earlier in the week.
FOX6 News was at the Martin Luther King library branch earlier Thursday and saw many people lined up at least an hour before the site opened. Some people even brought lawn chairs while waiting for a pack of masks.
"It’s a deadly and very contagious virus. I want to live. I’m getting ready to retire. I want to live and enjoy my retirement," said resident Joanne Hankins, who waited for masks Thursday.
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Roughly 130,000 masks were provided for library distributions. All 13 branches ran out by Thursday afternoon. The Milwaukee area testing and vaccination sites were giving away masks until supplies lasted.
"This is better protection than a cloth mask," said Nick Tomaro, the Milwaukee Health Department's emergency preparedness environmental health director.
There is no additional information if MHD has plans to hand out more masks in the future.
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