County Education Office receives thousands of N95 masks for local K-12 schools

Jan. 28—The Santa Barbara County Office of Education has received 276,480 adult-size N95 masks to be distributed to staff and students in local K-12 schools, an office spokeswoman said Thursday.

N95 and KN95 masks have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control as the most effective at protecting against COVID-19 infection, including from the omicron variant, compared to surgical or cloth masks.

"The N95 masks we've received are high-quality, well-fitting and protective," said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido. "We appreciate the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for helping us provide our families and staff with this sought-after option of protection."

The masks are being delivered to county school districts, private schools and charter schools, each of which will develop their own protocols for offering the masks to staff and students, according to County Education Office spokeswoman Camilla Barnwell.

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