Those seeking N95 masks for better mitigation of COVID-19’s spread can now receive a pack for free at several locations in Chatham County.

The county health department shared a release Thursday saying it is making several thousand masks available to the public at the three branches of the Chatham County Public Libraries. Each household can receive one box of 20 masks at either the Chatham Community Library in Pittsboro, the Wren Memorial Library in Siler City or the Goldston Library in Goldston.

The Chatham County Health Department said it has received 120,000 N95 masks from the state Department of Health and Human Services. A spokesperson for the department said a “significant” amount of those N95s will be given to community partners for their own reserves or distribution, while an initial 15,000 will be distributed through their libraries.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services allocated masks initially by each county’s population, with Chatham County receiving around 7,000 masks. Director of the Health Department Mike Zelek said the county then requested 120,000 more, which arrived on Wednesday.

Rita Van Duinen, branch manager of Chatham Community Library, picks up boxes of N95 respirators on Wednesday, February 2nd. Chatham County Public Libraries’ three branches will begin public distribution of respirators on Thursday, February 3rd, to the general public. (Photo via the Chatham County Health Department.)

The demand for N95 masks in the region has been high. Orange County Health Department began its distribution of the respirators on Monday at two locations in the county, running out of supplies in around two hours. Durham County paused its distribution of masks on Wednesday, citing all the masks at their county library locations having been taken.

Orange County received 14,000 initial N95s from the state, with about 2,000 going to the distribution site at Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough. The library later reported being out of the masks just minutes after opening. Durham County reported distributing approximately 30,000 masks through its libraries.

A spokesperson for Orange County Health Department said the county’s plan is to now order more masks through the state government now that they are allowed to do so, with additional plans expected to be shared in the coming days.

Hours for the Chatham County Public Libraries are as follows:

Chatham Community Library

  • Monday to Thursday: 9 AM to 8 PM
  • Friday: 9 AM to 6 PM
  • Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM

Wren Memorial Library

  • Monday: 12 PM to 8 PM
  • Tuesday to Friday: 10 AM to 6 PM
  • Saturday: 9 AM to 5 PM

Goldston Library

  • Monday and Wednesday: 10 AM to 1 PM, 2 PM to 6 PM
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Thursday: 10 AM to 1 PM, 2 PM to 8 PM
  • Friday: 10 AM to 1 PM, 2 PM to 5 PM
  • Saturday: 9 AM to 1 PM

Organizations seeking to distribute their own batches of N95 masks can request some through the state Department of Health and Human Services here. Additionally, the federal government is distributing part of the 400 million N95 masks it purchased to pharmacies across the United States next week.

While the United States may be declining from the peak of COVID-19’s omicron variant, the virus continues to spread at a rapid rate. Community transmission in Orange, Chatham and Durham counties continues to be in the ‘high’ category, while North Carolina reported more than 127,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days.

 

Photo via the Centers for Disease Control’s Public Health Image Library.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

 

Related Stories
‹
Orange, Chatham Communities to Host Public Talks About Opioid Settlement Funding
The Orange County and Chatham County local governments are preparing for community meetings about incoming funding from opioid settlements.
State Gives $35 Million to Local Health Departments for COVID-19 Response
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is allocating $35 million in federal funding to local health departments across the state to support their COVID-19 responses. The announced was shared in a release from Governor Roy Cooper’s office on Tuesday, saying each county would receive at least $90,000 with  additional funding determined by population size […]
Orange, Durham And Chatham Counties Labeled 'Sanctuary Jurisdictions' By Homeland Security
UPDATE: On Friday afternoon, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) responded to the Department of Homeland Security’s list of “sanctuary jurisdictions,” which includes Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties, each of which fall under her district. “This outrageous list is nothing more than a politically motivated stunt designed to intimidate and punish local governments that refuse to be […]
Local U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee Boycotts Trump's Congressional Address, Citing President's Lies
Orange, Durham and Chatham County's U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee did not attend President Donald Trump's address to Congress Tuesday evening.
Where to Vote Early in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties for the 2024 Elections
Early voting in North Carolina begins this week. Here is what to know to cast your vote in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties.
Damage from Tropical Storm Debby Leads to Power Outages in Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties
As the storm moved through North Carolina on Thursday, several communities in Orange, Chatham and Durham Counties reported losing power.
Early Voting in 2024: What Do You Need To Know in Orange, Durham, or Chatham County?
Early voting is about to begin for the 2024 primary! Here's what you need to know in order to vote in Orange, Durham, or Chatham County.
Storm Causes Orange, Durham and Chatham Residents to Start Weekend with No Power
North Carolina became the latest state to suffer the effects of then-Tropical Storm Ian on Friday, with one of the most impactful results being widespread power outages. Due to high winds and heavy rain from the storm, power lines became damaged and outages occurred for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians, with a peak around […]
High School Football Round-Up: Week 5
Every week during the season, Chapelboro will post the scores of local high school football games. Here are the scores from Week 5! Results from Week 4 can be found here. Chapel Hill (4-0): Idle Up next: vs. East Chapel Hill   Cedar Ridge (1-3): Lost to Person County, 76-8 Up next: vs. Northwood   East […]
More Free N95 Masks To Be Given Out in Orange County on Friday
The Orange County Health Department announced another shipment of N95 masks will be available to the public for free this Friday, February 11. The department said Wednesday will distribute the masks at two locations while supplies last: the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough and the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service in Carrboro. Both open […]
›