Rotary Club of Victoria distributes face masks to public |01 September 2020

Rotary members distributing masks to the public at the central bus station on Saturday (Photos: Thomas Meriton)

Newly appointed President of the Rotary Club of Victoria, Dr Murthy Pillay, was joined by other members of the club’s board at the central bus station in Victoria on Saturday to distribute some 800 masks for free to the public.

The team arrived at the station around 9am, whereby they made a donation of 100 masks to corporate affairs officer of SPTC, Micah Charles, to be used by drivers and SPTC employees, before proceeding with the donation of the fabric masks to members of the public.

“Rotary Club of Victoria already supports health-related causes around the globe. The club is renowned for this. The same applies here and we frequently organise activities, sponsored walks to raise funds and remit to Rotary Club International towards the elimination of polio. With the Covid-19 pandemic, we thought it fitting to distribute the masks to the public. And the masks are good quality and approved by the Ministry of Health. People can use them safely and we urge the public to make use of it to stop the propagation of Covid-19 in Seychelles,” President Pillay said.

Two different types of masks, both reusable fabric face masks, were distributed, but one features a filter and a filter pocket. Both masks bear the name of the club. According to President Pillay, some of the masks were procured from overseas, while others were produced locally.

“We encourage people to take their health seriously and follow health advisories in place and to wear a mask as advised. We all have a role to play in the fight against Covid-19,” he added.

In addition to the masks, educational leaflets were also handed out to ensure that the masks are used properly so as to protect the wearer and others around them. It comprises information about how to properly handle masks, how to remove and wash and dispose of used masks.

“The Rotary Club is committed to helping the community through our activities and community outreach projects, so we are planning subsequent distributions,” President Pillay added.

The masks were very welcome by all, and together with social distancing, wearing of masks is advisable to protect against and limit the spread of Covid-19.

Laura Pillay