UArizona, Pima County hand out free masks at Tumamoc Hill

UArizona has partnered with Pima County to hand out free masks at the base of Tumamoc Hill.

ARE HIKING UP TUMAMOC HILL.BUT IF YOU FORGET YOURS --THERE'S A NEW PROGRAM IN THEWORKS TO MAKE SURE YOU MASK UPBEFORE YOU HIKE UP.WHEN TUMAMOC HILL REOPENED INMAY AFTER CLOSING FOR TWO ANDA HALF MONTHS-- THERE WAS ONECONDITION -- WEAR MASKS -- ORTHE TRAIL WILL HAVE TO CLOSEAGAIN.

A LOT OF TIMES DURINGTHE PEAK HOURS THERE ARE SOMANY INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU'RENOT ABLE TO KEEP THAT SIX FEETSOCIAL DISTANCING.

SO THAT'SWHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO WEARYOUR MASK.

THE UNIVERSITY OFARIZONA SAYS -- IT HAS BEENMONITORING MASK USE -- AND NOTEVERYONE IS FOLLOWING THERULE.

ON AVERAGE -- THE U IF ASAYS OVER 750 PEOPLE VISITTUMAMOC EVERY DAY.

WE HAVETHAT DATA WE KNOW WHEN THOSESPIKES ARE WE KNOW WHEN PEOPLEARE NOT WEARING MASKSESPECIALLY IN THE EVENINGS ANDTHE WEEKENDS AND THAT'S WHEREWE CAN FOCUS OUR ENERGY.THAT'S WHY EMILY BRESSLER WITHTHE PIMA COUNTY HEALTHDEPARTMENT SAYS THEY AREPARTNERING WITH THE U OF A TORAISE THE NUMBER OF HIKERSWEARING MASKS.

RIGHT NOW --ONLY ABOUT 30% OF HIKERS AREFOLLOWING THE RULES IN THEEVENINGS.

AND THEY ARE DOINGTHIS BY HANDING OUT FREE MASKS-- AT THE BASE OF TUMAMOC --DURING PEAK HOURS.

OVER THEPAST FEW WEEKS -- THEY'VEGIVEN OUT OVER TWO THOUSANDMASKS.

BUT IF YOU ARECONCERNED WITH KEEPING UP YOURBREATHING WHILE WEARING A MASK-- HERE'S A WAY TO HELP WITHTHAT WHILE STILL FOLLOWING THERULES.

IT'S OKAY TO STOP FOR ASECOND, AND PUT THE MASK DOWNAND GET A FEW BREATHS AND PUTIT BACK UP TO CONTINUE YOURHIKE.

RIGHT NOW -- THE PROGRAMIS SET TO CONTINUE THROUGHSEPTEMBER 17TH -- BUT THERE'SA CHANCE IT WILL CONTINUELONGER THAN THAT.

THE LASTTHING WE WANT TO DO IS CLOSETHE HILL.IF YOU NEED A MASK FOR YOURHIKE -- THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTWILL BE SET UP AT TUMAMOCHILL-- TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYSFROM 5-30 PM TO 8 P-M.

ANDSATURDAYS FROM 5-30 AM TOEIGHT A-M.AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING