Janelle Irwin Taylor
Hillsborough County is handing out free reusable cloth face coverings for residents in an effort to help residents comply with the new face mask mandate in the county.
Officials will distribute masks at four locations throughout the county:
— E.G. Simmons Park, 2401 19th Ave. NW in Ruskin
— Upper Tampa Bay Park, 8001 Double Branch Road in Tampa
— Lake Park, 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz
— Lithia Springs Park, 3932 Lithia Springs Road in Lithia
The sites will be open until 5 p.m. Wednesday, from 8 a.m. until 5. p.m. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday and from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday.
Masks will be handed out while supplies last. Each person arriving in the vehicle will be given two masks. Drivers may also request additional masks for family members not present.
The county ordered 2 million cloth face coverings from the state of Florida for public distribution.
Hillsborough County Emergency Management has already handed out 950,000 masks to municipalities within the county, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital as well as other public agencies and non-profit organizations to assist in distribution.
The face covering order goes into effect Wednesday at 5 p.m. and is applicable to employees and patrons at all Hillsborough County businesses open to the public where social distancing cannot be maintained.
Exceptions apply for those who have health or mental health conditions that prevent them from safely wearing a mask.
The county will provide additional information soon about how businesses can request free face coverings.
