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<br /> <br />Roy Takemoto <br /> <br />Managing Director <br /> <br /> <br />Harry Kim <br />Mayor <br /> <br />Barbara J. Kossow <br /> Deputy Managing Director <br /> <br />County of Hawai‘i <br />Office of the Mayor <br />25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603  Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720  (808) 961-8211  Fax (808) 961-6553 <br />KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy., Bldg C  Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740 <br />(808) 323-4444  Fax (808) 323-4440 <br /> <br /> <br />April 3, 2020 <br /> <br />NEWS RELEASE <br /> <br />County of Hawai‘i Recommends Wearing Cloth Face Coverings to Protect Others <br /> <br />Hawai‘i County Mayor Harry Kim recommended Friday that people wear cloth face <br />coverings when in public to protect others from the spread of COVID-19. The <br />recommendation reflects one made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <br />and is supported by the Mayors of the State of Hawaii. <br /> <br />The Mayor made clear that he did not recommend surgical or N-95 masks for general <br />use, because supplies need to be reserved for first responders and health care <br />providers. Homemade masks can be made from household items, old clothing or <br />bandannas. For more information on how to make a face mask from fabric, please call <br />Civil Defense at 935-0031. <br /> <br />“This would be voluntary, and it would be to protect each other from Coronavirus,” <br />Mayor Kim said. “As Dr. John Martell of Hilo Medical Center says, ‘Let’s all protect each <br />other.’” <br /> <br />People can contract and spread the virus without showing symptoms, so it is wise to <br />assume that you could be a carrier and so wearing a mask would protect other people, <br />Mayor Kim said. A homemade mask can block one’s own germs from infecting others. <br /> <br />The Mayor recommended that everyone wear a mask when leaving home and <br />encountering others. <br /> <br />Let us all protect each other. <br /> <br /> <br />County of Hawai‘i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. <br />