DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – Residents of Durham and Orange counties will be able to pick up free N95 masks beginning this week.
In Orange County, free N95 masks can be picked up at the Orange County Public Library, located at 137 E. Margaret Lane in Hillsborough, and Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, located at 110 W. Main Street in Carrboro.
Both distribution sites will begin operating Monday. The library site will be open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Then, beginning Tuesday, masks will be available at all Durham County Libraries locations except the Stanford L. Warren Library, which is currently closed.
Libraries are limiting a total of 10 masks per household.
Also, anyone getting tested at a Durham County Optum Serve site can pick up a mask.
Durham County’s sites are located at:
Durham County Memorial Stadium (750 Stadium Dr.) – open 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily
El Centro Hispano (2000 Chapel Hill Rd.) – open 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily
Wheels Fun Park (715 N. Hoover Rd.) – open 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily
414 E. Main St. – open Saturday and Sunday only, 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Durham County Department of Public Health to assist in providing convenient locations for mask distribution. Our commitment to the community goes beyond library-related resources, and we are thrilled to offer assistance with this initiative,” Tammy Baggett-Best said, Durham County Library Director.
Durham County student Eleanor Morris-Benedict said she goes to the downtown library many times a week and feels offering free masks at libraries is a smart move to reach more people.
“It would be a lot easier because they’d be everywhere to just pick up — so I think I’d just start wearing them as well,” Morris-Benedict said.
On Thursday, CBS 17 reported about frustrated Durham County residents who were struggling to find places to get free N95 masks.
“If the department of public health is planning to distribute them, why is it taking so long?” resident Elizabeth Fritz asked.
