DeKalb to pass out 10,000 masks, hand sanitizers to fight spread of COVID-19

DeKalb County will pass out 10,000 masks along with hand sanitizers to residents over the next six weeks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

“The expiration of Governor Kemp’s statewide shelter-in-place order shifts the burden to local leaders who must redouble ongoing efforts to inform, educate and protect our residents,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said.

Beginning Saturday, May 2, dozens of DeKalb County Police and Fire Rescue cadets and trainees will distribute COVID-19 care packets containing two disposable nonsurgical masks and a container of hand sanitizer, along with a card with tips on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The county’s initial efforts will focus on economically disadvantaged communities that the DeKalb County Board of Health has identified as experiencing the highest number of COVID-19 infections. DeKalb County has the second highest number of confirmed cases with more than 2,000. There have been 48 confirmed deaths from the pandemic.

According to Board of Health data, despite the high number of cases, DeKalb County has the second lowest rate of death among those who have contracted the disease, in counties that have been most impacted by COVID-19.

On April 23, CEO Thurmond issued his third executive order related to the COVID-19 pandemic in which he urged residents to wear cloth face coverings at all times in public and continue to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.