Helsinki gives free face masks to the needy

The City of Helsinki on Friday started handing out face masks to low-income residents at several open distribution points in the city, parish and charity-administered locations.

A list of distribution points is available on the city’s website, said the City of Helsinki in a press release.

The health authorities recently recommended that people in most areas of the country should use face masks in situations where it is difficult to avoid close contact with others, for example, in public transports.

The government has mandated that municipalities must make cost-free face masks available to low-income residents accordingly.

The City of Helsinki began distributing free masks already on 19 August to people by visiting healthcare and social service locations in the city.

Now this distribution has been expanded to several new locations, in collaboration with food aid service points, parishes, NGOs, and third-sector operators.

The recommendation made by the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) applies to everyone over the age of 15, and so the distribution of face masks applies to this same demographic segment.

The city is distributing free masks in cooperation with Helsinki parishes, the Finnish Red Cross, and several other charity organisations, such as Myllypuro food distribution service and the Hursti Charitable Trust, are assisting in the effort.