No excuse for not wearing masks

As a way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the town of Taos set up a booth to hand out free masks to local businesses in the area Friday (June 12).

Starting at 10 a.m., town officials set up at Coronado Hall, located at 120 Civic Plaza Drive, handing out masks to one representative from each business. The cloth masks adhere to the state emergency order, which requires them for use in the workplace.

One of the businesses that picked up masks was Kit Carson Electric Cooperative. “KCEC companies are still implementing strict precautions for the safety and well-being of our employees and communities,” said KCEC public relations director Michael Santistevan. “It’s great that the town of Taos is helping our small businesses. We are very fortunate to have great entities that are focusing on the needs during this pandemic.”

Over 5,000 masks were distributed to representatives from 113 businesses in the Taos area.

According to town manager Rick Bellis, the masks were procured through the Department of Homeland Security and distributed to the state by the Emergency Operations Center of the Center for Disease Control.

Face coverings have been required by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in her emergency order. The order, which opens up nonessential businesses across the state, calls for all employees to wear a mask or some sort of face covering.

Businesses have been slowly opening up as per the governor’s emergency health order.

The masks handed out by the town are cloth. They are washable and reusable.