 |
| Volunteers were manning the tables and taking the names of septuagenarians lined up in Wellsville Tuesday for free masks |
Recent statistics show there are currently 41 Confirmed
Cases of Covid-19 in the county. Of those 31 are Recovered Cases and 1 death in
the county has been attributed to the coronavirus.
The most vulnerable in the community are those over the age
of 70, and those with underlying health problems.
Tuesday the OFA started its free mask distribution in
Andover and Whitesville in the morning followed by Wellsville in the afternoon.
146 masks were to be distributed in Wellsville to those people who had
registered with the office. Masks will continue to be distributed to people
70-years of age or older on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (Locations listed
below) who have previously registered by calling 585-268-9390. Calls will be
recorded and can be made any time prior to requested pick-up date to assure
that each distribution site has the adequate number of masks required.
If you are homebound and unable to attend a distribution
site, contact the Office For the Aging and arrangements will be made for
delivery with the assistance of the local emergency responders.
Anita Mattison, director of the Allegany County OFA said the
county has received an additional 8,000 masks adding to the 5,000 which were
given to the county from the state Office For the Aging.
Each person receives two cloth masks. Following Friday’s
giveaway to septuagenarians, any masks that are left over will be distributed
to “members of the community,” Mattison said. Contact the OFA to receive a
mask.
The masks should periodically be washed to provide maximum
safety.
“A mask is not a safeguard unless you take care of it,”
Mattison said.
The distribution sites are:
Wednesday – 9 to 11 a.m. at the Friendship Fire Dept., 7
Depot St., Friendship
at the Alfred Fire Co., 4 South Main St., Alfred and
at the Belmont Fire Co., 80 Schuyler St., Belmont
1 to 3 p.m. – Cuba Fire Dept., 51 East Main St., Cuba
Thursday – 9 to 11 a.m. at the Canaseraga Fire Dept., 10
Main St., Canaseraga
1
to 3 p.m. at the Bolivar Fire Dept., 460 Main St., Bolivar
Friday – 1 to 3 p.m. – at the Rushford Fire Dept., 8911
Upper St., Rushford and
at the
Fillmore Fire Co., 24 South Genesee St., Fillmore
Experts concur that while protective masks do not
necessarily prevent a person from being infected with the Coronavirus, they do
prevent the wearer from contaminating others. The Governor and other health
professionals recommend wearing a protective mask in public places, following
Friday and any relaxation of safeguards pertaining to the reopening of the
county.
“People should wear masks in public until the mandate is
officially lifted,” Mattison said.
