The 35,000 white boxes of COVID-19 supply boxes Cole County purchased for residents with federal CARES Act money have begun to arrive in Jefferson City, and more should come in throughout the week.
Two truckloads of boxes arrived Wednesday at the Jefferson Street Post Office, and more trucks will be coming today and Friday, Cole County Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman said.
The Cole County Commission originally expected the boxes to arrive in early December, but officials at Maryland Heights-based Missouri Medical Supply told Bushman key employees had contracted COVID-19, delaying the shipping process, he said.
The boxes contain 50 surgical masks as well as hand sanitizer and written materials about COVID-19 precautions.
The county paid $318,255 for the supplies and shipping costs.
Bushman emphasized these are not basic, single-use masks.
"These are surgical masks, and according to Missouri Medical Supply officials, they have a Particulate Filtration Efficiency of over 98 percent down to a 0.1 micron," Bushman said. "I was told that 0.1 micron is the particulate filtration level needed to be effective against COVID-19."
Bushman said other counties have reached out about taking any extra boxes the county has left.
"If you don't want the box, bring them to the Health Department on West Truman Boulevard or any county office," Bushman said. "We can redistribute them to places such as hospitals and clinics."