To help keep cases of COVID-19 at bay throughout this holiday season, the Forrest County Emergency Management Agency has distributed several face masks throughout the area, including 1,500 at Petal City Hall on West 8thAvenue.
The masks are available to the public free of charge until supplies are gone.
“(The agency) delivered some masks to Forrest County residents through the board of supervisors, and they delivered masks to some Hattiesburg residents through the City of Hattiesburg,” Ward 3 Alderman Clint Moore said. “Then they reached out to us and let us know that they had some masks available for distribution if we wanted them, and we told them we definitely did. And they’re actually Petal Red, so that was pretty exciting.”
The masks are being distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and Petal officials plan to reach out to the emergency management agency if more are needed.
“It’s a great resource; as we’re going through the holiday time, lots of people are getting together, and we’re seeing cases increase,” Moore said. “As somebody who’s had the virus myself, I don’t want anybody to get it.
“Everybody has their own beliefs about what’s happening with the virus, but as somebody who’s gotten it, I can tell you it’s not a fun thing to have. So anything we can do to prevent that will help.”
