NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As masks continue to be scarce during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 'I Believe in Nashville' charitable relief team has donated 24,000 masks to the cause. This includes 4,000 for Nashville's essential workers.
Mayor John Cooper's office announced the donation today. The masks will be used to protect Nashville employees who are working to ensure essential systems and services continue to operate smoothly. It was added that these particular masks will not be used by healthcare workers or first responders.
"While we are happy to do our part in keeping people safe, we feel that the message of hope and belief is as important as the mask itself," said Rich Egan, CEO of 'I Believe in Nashville.'
Before this most recent donation, the team set out to give away 10,000 free masks April 3, the day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended wearing masks in public. When they gave away that 10,000 in a mere 90 minutes, they added 10,000 more masks to that cause.
The team has been fielding orders from large and small companies across the United States. The 'I Believe in Nashville' mask is also available for purchase on NashvilleTNStore.com, where they are sold at cost. Large corporate orders should be emailed to info@NashvilleTNStore.com.
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See all our coronavirus coverage here
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
