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Officers in Atlanta want protective masks amid the coronavirus outbreak

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Published  March 18, 2020 7:23pm EDT
Coronavirus in Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

ATLANTA - Officers in Atlanta say they need protective gear amid the COVID-19 outbreak.  And they say they need masks right now.

Some complaints have bubbled up as the news about rapid contagion has put a spotlight on professions that by there very nature cannot practice social distancing. 

Police come into contact with individuals who don't welcome that contact. There have been times when they have even been spat upon. 

Preparing law enforcement for the coronavirus

There are concerns the Atlanta Police Department is not ready for the coronavirus

Early Wednesday, the police union held a meeting to try to figure out purchasing items that are now very scarce. 

There are some APD units that have no masks. Some zones were recently given a total of twenty. But there are up to 100 officers in some of the zones and masks cannot be shared. 

Union President Jason Segura said the department got conflicting news early on that masks are not effective. He has spoken to the APD chief and she is trying to secure more masks as well as thermometers.