GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encouraged people to wear masks while out in public places in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.
However, some children are showing up to Guilford County Schools feeding sites without masks.
One teacher who spoke to WFMY News 2 said staff noticed many children from neighborhoods near Kiser Middle and Elementary Schools were not wearing masks.
"It's something that's tricky and challenging for everyone but especially students to come to the feeding sites out of hunger needs. There's a lot that we don't know about this virus and how it spreads," said Jennifer Maness, a teacher with Kiser Middle School.
"Me and another coworker named Mrs. Vance decided that we want to try to get the masks together for the children when they come to the feeding sites, to try to keep themselves healthy while they're going through this," Maness said.
Maness and Vance swung into action and contacted Masks For Greensboro to help provide dozens of masks for the children.
"I reached out to them over Facebook and asked if someone would be willing to donate around 50 masks for the kids who are coming to pick up these meals and within two days they were sitting on my porch," Maness said.
The CDC recommends kids older than 2 wear a mask while in public spaces. Many students have to walk, often together with other neighborhood kids, to feeding sites because they rely on food provided by the district.
Mask For Greensboro is a network of volunteers, including sewers, suppliers, and delivery drivers, who have made more than 1,000 free masks and distributed them throughout Greensboro.
"I just wanted to find a way, even if it's just a small level of protection for a small group of people. As we know, trying to prevent the spread of this virus is key for getting the numbers down," Maness said.
Maness, who said she had a hard time finding masks that can fit small children, urged others to keep children in mind as they help with making masks for public use.
The masks will be distributed at the feeding sites this week.
The CDC warns to avoid masks and face coverings that could be a choking and strangulation hazard or ones that cause difficulty breathing. Also, if wearing a mask is causing a child to touch their face more, the CDC said parents should focus more on healthy hygiene habits like hand washing, coughing, and sneezing into one's elbow or a tissue and social distancing.
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