State Rep. Erin Zwiener donated surgical face masks to community members in Buda, Kyle and Niederwald recently. She distributed them to senior living and rehabilitation centers, Hays CISD families and patrons at the Buda Farmers Market and Kyle Poco Loco.
“For reopening Texas to succeed, we all must change our day-to-day habits,” Zwiener said. “Wearing a face mask out in public is one piece of that. It’s a simple way we can all show that we care about our neighbors, our community, and our local businesses, and I don’t want access to masks to prevent one Texan from doing their part.”
Zwiener delivered bulk masks to Legend Oaks Healthcare and Rehabilitation and Orchard Park Senior Living and Assisted Living in Kyle for their staff, and she handed out packets of masks to Hays CISD parents picking up food at Camino Real Elementary in Niederwerald and to patrons at the Buda Farmers Market and Kyle Poco Loco. Each packet also contained information about how masks help protect our communities from the spread of COVID-19 and how to get help applying for unemployment insurance. Additional packets were given to Hays CISD for distribution at other food pick-up locations.
“Wearing a mask keeps your germs with you,” Zwiener said. “If you sneeze or cough, the droplets stay inside your mask instead of landing on other people or a nearby surface. If we all wear masks, we’re all protected.”
The Center for Disease Control and Gov. Greg Abbott both recommend wearing face-coverings in public. However, the COVID-19 pandemic kicked off a global personal protective equipment shortage, and many community members and health care facilities have struggled to obtain masks.
“Of course mask-wearing is just one piece of the puzzle,” she said. “We also need to continue staying home whenever possible, minimizing our interactions with those outside our household, washing our hands, and staying home if sick.”
