SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — Just 10 days after it stopped handing out masks from the state, the Shelby County Health Department is giving them a second change after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deemed them to be safe.
The health department stopped handing out the masks on June 1 over concerns about a chemical called silvadur. It’s used on the masks to prevent bacteria, but there were concerns about how it would affect people who inhale it.
The EPA said it’s extremely unlikely anyone would inhale the chemical and that the health risk is “negligible.”
Allene Christian has been wearing one for a while now and never had any problems.
“I have been doing fine. So, I really don’t think whatever they said was a big issue, because I have been wearing mine 30 days,” she told WREG’s Melissa Moon.
She went by the Shelby County Health Department to get two more on Thursday because she says she wears them everywhere to keep herself and others safe.
She’s not the only one encouraging others to wear masks. On Wednesday, Mayor Jim Strickland tweeted out a reminder that wearing masks, washing your hands and social distancing is just as important as it was in March.
Linda Penny left with a couple masks, too.
“I’m in the medical field, and I think anything we can do to stop the spread of this.”
She said the last thing the city needs is a second wave of COVID-19.
“I don’t want to see the city shut down again. There are people really needing to work.”
The state is providing millions of the masks to health departments across Tennessee. They are free and there are still plenty available at the following locations:
Cawthon Public Health Clinic
1000 Haynes, 38114
Collierville Public Health Clinic (Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
167 Washington St., 38017
Hickory Hill Public Health Clinic
6590 Kirby Center Cove, 38118
Shelby Crossing Public Health Clinic
6170 Macon Road, 38133
Southland Mall Public Health Clinic
1287 Southland Mall, 38116
