It’s not unusual for masks in the United States to be flying off the shelves in October – the month of Halloween.

However, in 2020, unlike in previous years, those masks are meant to protect people rather than scare them, and the masks this year are free.

Guilford County government will begin distributing face masks and bottles of hand sanitizer to people in the community beginning on Thursday, Oct. 15. The distribution of the items will be handled by Guilford County’s Division of Social Services rather than the public health division.

At the Guilford County Board of Commissioners first meeting in October, the board approved the countywide distribution of 50,000 cloth face masks and 25,000 8 oz. bottles of hand sanitizers. Each county resident who requests the items at one of the many distribution centers will get three face masks and at least one 8 oz. bottle of hand sanitizer.

Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Jeff Phillips said this week that the move is meant to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus as the county heads into flu season. Phillips called access to reusable cloth face-covering and the use of hand sanitizers “a key part of our public health strategy during this pandemic.”

There are a lot of places to get yours. Here you go:

Guilford County will distribute masks at 1203 Maple Street in Greensboro on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. There, citizens will be able to drive through and pick up items or walk-up to the building and get them.

The county will also distribute masks at 325 E. Russell St. in High Point on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Additional face masks and bottles of hand sanitizer will be delivered to the following locations for distribution beginning on Oct. 13. (Each location will receive 1,800 face masks and 600 hand sanitizers.)

  • New Beginnings Church: 215 4th St. High Point
  • Macedonia Family Center: 401 Lake Ave. High Point
  • Calvary Baptist Church: 808 Hilltop St. High Point
  • Allen Jay Recreation Center: 1073 E. High Point
  • Oak Ridge 1st Baptist Church: 2445 Oak Ridge Road Oak Ridge
  • Town of Oak Ridge: 8315 Linville Road Oak Ridge
  • Town of Gibsonville: 129 W. Main St. Gibsonville
  • Locust Grove Baptist Church: 4707 E. NC 150, Browns Summit
  • Lawndale Baptist Church: 3505 Lawndale Dr. Greensboro
  • Pathways Center: 3517 N. Church St. Greensboro
  • Friendly Avenue Baptist Church: 4800 W. Friendly Ave, Greensboro
  • Glenwood Library: 1901 West Florida St. Greensboro
  • East White Oak Church: 1815 Water St. Greensboro
  • Mt. Zion Baptist Church: 1301 Alamance Church Road Greensboro
  • Beloved Community Center: 417 Arlington St. Greensboro
  • New Zion Church: 408 MLK Jr. Dr. Greensboro
  • Trinity AME: 631 E. Florida St. Greensboro