Coronavirus In Pittsburgh: City First Responders, Workers All Getting Protective Masks
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Many City of Pittsburgh workers will now be wearing protective masks while on the job due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
City officials say police, firefighters and paramedics, animal control officers and park rangers will wear the masks.
In addition, personnel from the departments of Public Works, Mobility and Infrastructure, Permits Licenses and Inspections, and Parks and Recreation are also getting masks.
The city shared pictures on Twitter of Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert and other police officers wearing the masks.
.@CityPgh staff working in the field and having contact with the public will be issued protective masks, following recommendations by @CDCgov & @GovernorTomWolf.
Masks help reduce potentially infectious droplets expelled by the wearer protecting those the mask-wearer encounters. pic.twitter.com/vgrUh8jNFC
— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) April 8, 2020
Chief Schubert said in a news release: "We've got to model this practice for everybody else. If everyone does their part and wears a mask, we might be able to stop this virus even quicker."
The city says they will wear the masks until COVID-19 is "defeated."
