Need some N95 masks? Look no further than Gang Free Inc. Founder Melissa Elliott said she’s got plenty, with more ordered and on the way.
Elliott told WIZS News Monday that anyone in the community who would like masks can simply head out to the Gang Free, Inc. location at 940 County Home Road any weekday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Elliott said the masks come from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and are free. She also has COVID-19 at-home rapid tests available.
She estimates that her organization has distributed more than 6,000 masks and 2,000 test kits in the past couple of weeks. Recipients include area police departments and other agencies.
“If people need them, they can come and get them,” Elliott said.
Each box contains 20 N95 masks, and she gives larger groups like churches a whole case – 240 masks in all – if they need them. The test kits come two to a box, with 90 boxes in a case.
She said she didn’t want anyone in the community to have to pay for taking a COVID-19 test when her organization has them available free for the asking.
According to the most recent COVID-19 update from Granville Vance Public Health, both counties continue to be in the high community transmission rate. Vance County reported 358 new cases for 28.7 percent and Granville County reported 439 new cases for 22.5 percent positivity rate.
There have been 13,461 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County and 11,380 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County for a total of 24,841 across the health district.
In the Bureau of Federal Prisons in Butner, there were 44 Granville County inmates whose positive test results were reported to the local health department in the last week. In addition, there are currently 20 staff of the federal prison with COVID-19 (including 17 Granville County residents and 3 Vance County residents).
Granville County has documented 110 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 111 deaths for a total of 221 deaths across the health district.