HHS Mask Distribution to Schools Underway- Request Your Districts Now

As described on the blog earlier in September, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be providing up to 125 million cloth masks to states for distribution to schools. The Administration intends for these masks to support students, teachers, and staff in public and private schools reopening, with an emphasis on students who are low-income or otherwise with high needs and schools providing in-person instruction.

Today we learned that school districts can immediately begin requesting masks from State Health Departments for adults. All states have received shipments of white, reusable and washable masks for adults and districts in need of additional masks can request them anytime. A few states are already in receipt of reusable, washable masks for youth/children, but the majority of these masks are still being manufactured and distributed. It is expected that many more states will have youth size masks available in the next 2 weeks and by early November all states will have both youth and adult size masks available for distribution to schools.

More information on the masks is available here: https://www.phe.gov/facecovering/Pages/cloth-face-masks-in-school.aspx