- Credibility:
IRVING PARK — Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33rd) will be giving out free masks to residents who need them starting Saturday.
Local businessman and ex-mayoral candidate Willie Wilson donated 20,000 masks to the 33rd Ward on Tuesday.
Rodriguez will start giving out the masks at her ward office, 3001 W. Irving Park Road, between 11 am. and 1 p.m. Saturday., she said in a Facebook post. The mask giveaway will continue through Tuesday, she said.
“If you are unable to come by but need masks delivered, please call us at 773-840-7880 or email info@33rdward.org and we will connect you with a volunteer near you,” Rodriguez said in the post.
Gov. JB Pritzker’s new stay at home order kicks in Friday and will require people ages 2 or older to wear a face covering when they’re not able to social distance, like inside a store or on a crowded sidewalk.
But Chicagoans don’t need to rush out to buy masks — reusable face coverings can be made out of items people might have at home, like old T-shirts. The Centers for Disease Control has an online guide for how to make and wear cloth masks.
Pritzker said he doesn’t want police to arrest people who aren’t wearing masks and Lightfoot has echoed those sentiments, noting she doesn’t want to punish people who might not have the money or resources to buy or make a mask.
But the governor said stores can and should refuse service to people who aren’t wearing face coverings, and essential businesses will be required to give their employees coverings if they’re not able to stay 6 feet away from people in the workplace.
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