KN95 masks available for free at all Grand Rapids Public Library locations – WZZM13.com
Staff cautioned the ten-packs would only be available as long as supplies last.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — All eight branches of the Grand Rapids Public Library now offer free KN95 masks to halt the spread of COVID.
A spokesperson for the library told 13 On Your Side staff that they had already distributed approximately 17-thousand individual masks, 1,700 ten-packs, as of Tuesday via a partnership with the Kent County Health Department.
The masks offer more protection than their cloth counterparts, according to the CDC.
The effort to distribute the masks to the public aligns with GRPL’s goal of promoting access. The face coverings are displayed in high visibility areas throughout the library system so that they are easily found.
“We’ve been getting a lot of excitement and a lot of really positive patron feedback,” John Bosma, the system’s community service manager, said via Zoom Tuesday. “Along the lines of, you know, it’s been really hard to find these. This is really important right now. This is why we love our library. So, it’s gratifying.”
The masks will be available while supplies last.
The Grand Rapids Public Library has paused in-person programming amid the omicron-fueled COVID surge in West Michigan.
Several branches continue to offer curbside service.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected], visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
