Van Buren/Cass District Health Department (VBCDHD) will be distributing free KN95 masks to organizations and community members in Van Buren and Cass Counties. The following is a partial list of participating organizations that are distributing masks while supplies last;
· Van Buren Cass District Health Department – Lawrence & Dowagiac offices;
· Participating Fire Departments in Cass & Van Buren Counties;
· Van Buren District Libraries – all branches;
· Cass District Libraries – all branches;
· Van Buren & Cass MDHHS offices
· Cass County Council on Aging;
· Area Agency on Aging;
· Community Action Agency;
· InterCare Community Health Network;
· Cass Family Clinic;
· Pharmacies including Meijer, Walgreens, and Family Fair
Please call to verify availability prior to arrival. If you represent an agency willing to redistribute masks to the public, please contact the VBCDHD at (269)621-3143 ext. 1382.
COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets travel into the air when you cough, sneeze, talk, shout or sing. These droplets can then land in the mouths or noses of people near you, or they may breathe these droplets in.
Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others. Studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth. You should wear a mask, even if you do not feel sick. Several studies have found that people with COVID-19 who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic) and those who are not yet showing symptoms (pre-symptomatic) can still spread the virus to other people. Wearing a mask helps protect you from droplet spread as well as those around you in case you are infected but not showing symptoms. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that wearing any kind of mask
will offer some protection against COVID-19, but KN95 and N95 masks provide the best chance at avoiding infection.
