Health & Fitness
WA Distributes Millions Of Free Masks To Low-Income Residents
The state has given out several million masks to low-income Washingtonians, just in time for the upcoming mask mandate.
SEATTLE, WA — Washington state has given out nearly 2.8 million cloth face coverings to low-income residents since launching a new covering distribution program earlier just two weeks ago. That's a significant number of face coverings, but health officials say, they still have about 800,000 they're working on giving out.
The Emergency Management Division and the state Department of Enterprise Services teamed up for the program, which focuses on giving masks to Washingtonians who are below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Right now, that means families of four living on less than $52,400 a year.
State health officials say they hope the program will help everyone be ready for the upcoming facial covering mandate: starting Friday everyone in Washington will be required to wear facial coverings when out in public spaces, or face a potential misdemeanor. Yakima County, which is dealing with a severe spike in coroanvirus cases, will see an even stricter mandate which requires businesses to refuse service to customers not wearing masks.
Find out what's happening in Seattlefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Residents who qualify but have not received a free mask can ask for one by reaching out to their county's local emergency managers.
As of Monday, the following counties have received masks from the state's distribution program:
Find out what's happening in Seattlefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Adams – 45,650
- Asotin – 15,100
- Benton – 110,00
- Chelan – 51,250
- Clallam – 47,450
- Clark – 216,250
- Columbia – 2,500
- Cowlitz – 71,450
- Douglas – 28,150
- Ferry – 6,650
- Franklin – 68,000
- Garfield – 1,315
- Grant – 71,800
- Grays Harbor – 57,650
- Island – 35,150
- Jefferson – 18,000
- King – 827,000
- Kitsap – 106,050
- Kittitas – 27,950
- Klickitat – 27,950
- Lewis – 45,650
- Lincoln – 6,000
- Mason – 43,800
- Okanogan – 36,900
- Pacific – 8,500
- Pend Oreille – 9,750
- Pierce – 391,650
- Skagit – 62,100
- Skamania – 6,330
- Snohomish – 298,750
- Spokane – 323,000
- Stevens – 31,700
- Thurston – 128,700
- Wahkiakum – 1,950
- Walla Walla – 18,000
- Whatcom – 137,700
- Whitman – 36,600
- Yakima – 219,350
More information on why masks are so important can be found on the state's coronavirus response page here.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.