Jersey City Freeholder Bill O’Dea (D-District 2) says Hudson County should immediately purchase a minimum of 500,000 surgical face masks, estimated cost of $1 each, and make them available for public distribution to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.
In an email obtained by Hudson TV dated April 20, 2020, O’Dea makes the suggestion to Hudson County Administrator Abe Antun and fellow Jersey City Freeholder Jerry Walker (D-District 3). O’Dea states, “They can be distributed through county and local agencies as well as non profits. While the State requires all shoppers to wear masks, it does not require the stores to have them on hand to give out or sell. Since the health professionals have identified the wearing of the mask as a major resource in fighting the spread of the virus it should be allowable. We are a county with a large low income population who may not be able to easily access these masks and seniors may not have the ability to pick them up or go buy them as they shelter in place though they may need them in an emergency if they have to go out.”
O’Dea goes on to say the Hudson County Office of Emergency Management could work on a plan for the distribution of the masks. The masks could also be made available on an ongoing basis at entrances to all public buildings and parks, etc. for what O’Dea believes will be months moving forward.
Administrator Antun wrote in response to Freeholder O’Dea’s suggestion, that he would pass the suggestion on to County Executive Tom DeGise for further consideration. “We need to see what the guidelines will be for governments to be purchasing mask for the public. We could probably consider purchasing mask for the public entering County buildings to conduct County business.”
O’Dea then responded, “I think we can easily make the argument that the PPE is being required for a period of time by the state and that 1-Many individuals lack access to get them or cannot afford them 2-providing them to anyone who needs them is in furtherance of the mandate to contain the spread and 3- as it relates to vulnerable population who are going to be on a stay at home edict it is essential for their own health and safety. As an example of the last one seniors in senior buildings still have to go to mailroom to get mail may need to go to a pharmacy etc. it seems like one of the easier items to justify. Similar to purchasing testing kits which also are for public benefit.”