DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The county with the second highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 began a new effort to try and reduce the spread of the virus.
On Saturday morning, DeKalb County Police and Fire Rescue cadets passed out masks and sanitizer in areas where they’ve seen the most cases pop up.
DeKalb County has almost 2,100 confirmed cases of COVID-19. At least 49 people there have died.
The effort was a directive from DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, who said the health department had been overwhelmed by calls from people wanting masks and sanitizer.
DeKalb County Fire Chief Darnell Fullum thanked cadets and trainees who volunteered to pass out the items. The cadets and trainees will be giving out 10,000 COVID-19 care kits over the next six weeks.
“We want you to engage those citizens that don’t have a mask on,” Fullum said to his cadets Saturday. “We’re here at a shopping center today, and we know folks are having to shop for groceries.”
Armed with bags of COVID care kits, 80 cadets were enlisted for the unique protection duty to hand out the kits at 16 locations across the county that have been identified as having a high number of confirmed cases. Each kit includes a card with tips to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and a number to call if someone thinks they may have contracted the virus.
“We’re going to engage these citizens,” Fullum said. ” We’re going to offer them this kit so that they can be as safe as possible. “We’re still encouraging people to remain 6 feet apart and we’re asking them to wash their hands.”
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