BOSTON — Wednesday marked the first day of Governor Charlie Baker’s mask order. Towns and cities are working to enforce the mandate and make sure the public has the necessary PPE.
Cambridge Police are allowing people to pick up masks at the department every day between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Earlier this week, the city gave out thousands of masks. It’s also waiting on a shipment of 13,000 masks to keep in police cruisers and hand out when people aren’t wearing one.
Cities like Brockton and Newton are doing the same.
The City of Boston is still working out how to enforce the mandate, which does permit law enforcement to issue fines. Boston 25 News’ cameras spotted dozens of people on the Boston Common Wednesday without masks on.
Related: How to help kids adjust to wearing a face mask
“If you need a mask or help learning [how] to make a mask please call 311,” Mayor Marty Walsh said. “The purpose of these guidelines is to keep our community safe. Our approach is to help you, not to punish you, especially if you are already financially struggling.”
In Wakefield, town leaders and volunteers handed out 60,000 masks to people in the community. The City of Melrose plans to do the same on Monday.
“This is to supplant what they normally have. We’re giving every household five paper masks, so certainly this is not enough to last the entire pandemic,” said Ruth Clay, health director for the Town of Wakefield and City of Melrose.
Clay said the paper masks should only be used once and cloth masks should be washed after each wear.
“Most people are staying home. So if you’re staying home and only going out for groceries then that paper mask is going to last you,” Clay said.
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