We present the statement by the president of Bolesławiec on the production and distribution of face masks.
The cemetery will open on Monday, 20 April.
Ladies and Gentlemen!
The cityscape—people wearing masks. I would like to thank everyone who, in a disciplined and responsible manner, thinking of others, put on these masks. We want to help you with this. When the government announced the obligation to wear masks, we began placing orders. It was difficult to obtain a single batch of 40,000—almost 40,000—reusable masks. Ultimately, from various sources, also thanks to cooperation with Bolesławiec companies, with Marpol and Provita, we brought in these masks, and we had to package some of them because they arrived in boxes. We had to purchase bags from a Bolesławiec company. We had to print leaflets with instructions based on the World Health Organization’s instructions. Officials from the City Office, the library, Centrum Wiedzy and Bolesławiecki Ośrodek Kultury joined in the packaging, for which I would like to thank them very warmly. There is still a certain batch left to package. The employees of our Bolesławiec kindergartens have offered their help. Delivery is already under way.
This is a huge logistical operation. We have already distributed more than 20,000 masks. These masks have been allocated. And here again, great thanks to Miejski Zakład Gospodarki Mieszkaniowej, Miejski Zakład Gospodarki Komunalnej, the property managers, and Spółdzielnia Mieszkaniowa Bolesławianka, which was the first—and had the most masks to distribute—to inform me this morning that the masks had already reached residents. Other institutions that support us and help distribute these masks are also involved. Here is an important appeal. There are also small housing communities in Bolesławiec that can contact us. We will provide them with masks in a quantity appropriate to the number of people on the list associated with waste fees. I think we should complete this task by Tuesday at the latest.
Of course, at present we are required to cover our faces. This may continue for a very long time. And it is likely that one mask, which can be washed and disinfected with a steam cleaner, may not be enough. Please remember that you can also sew a mask yourself, or cover your face with, for example, a scarf or another item of clothing. Some people use neck gaiters or scarves to cover their faces. All of this is permitted. The most important thing is that we cover our mouths and noses—that is, our respiratory tracts—in order, first, to reduce the possibility of becoming infected, but also to reduce the possibility of infecting someone else. Because we already know that this virus is asymptomatic in 80% of cases, meaning that 80% of infected people do not even know that they have been attacked by the coronavirus.
In addition, we purchased special face shields from a Bolesławiec company, from a Bolesławiec manufacturer. These face shields are distributed primarily to those who work with people and serve customers, such as medical clinics. Of course, the first package of 1,000 face shields was received by both Bolesławiec hospitals. But we also provided them, for example, to Poczta Polska, the Police and other institutions. These face shields will be distributed on an ongoing basis. We will also try to reach the groups at greatest risk. We are counting on cooperation with associations such as Bolesławieckie Amazonki and Stowarzyszenie Osób Niepełnosprawnych. We hope that in this way, first of all, we will reach everyone.
We will also distribute masks among homeless people, for example. Straż Miejska will handle this. We have identified these people.
I have a strong request that you treat these instructions seriously. They state that a mask used for a very long time must be disinfected, washed or, as I said, cleaned in some other way to eliminate the possibility of the virus remaining on the material. Therefore, this is only partial assistance. I am aware of that. We have to cope in various ways, but it is also important—and here I would like to express great thanks to Bolesławiec’s vendors—that some restaurants and kiosks quickly stocked up on masks and are selling them practically on an ongoing basis.
The second piece of information I would like to give you concerns the Bolesławiec cemetery. Following the introduction of the order to wear masks, we decided that the Bolesławiec cemetery, which is a very important place for many people because their loved ones are buried there, should be opened. We want to open this cemetery. Unless, of course, something happens, we want to open it after this weekend, that is, from Monday. The cemetery will be open. Naturally, we strongly ask you to comply with all these restrictions: we may enter the cemetery only wearing masks. We should try to maintain a safe distance. We must not organize group trips. These things are, first of all, against the law, but most importantly, we must continue to take care not to become infected with this virus. As you know, the situation related to the number of cases is increasing very dynamically. Unfortunately, we already have the first infections at Bolesławiec hospital, as well as in several other places in Bolesławiec County.
Piotr Roman, president of Bolesławiec