UCF installs face mask vending machines for students, staff
ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Central Florida is repurposing vending machines usually stocked with snacks for hungry college students to distribute face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus ahead of the fall semester.
UCF worked with its snack vendor, Gilly Vending Inc., to stock nine vending machines on campus with cloth face masks.
"Instead of chips and candy bars, they’ll dispense reusable cloth face coverings free of charge to students and employees," UCF said in a press release. "It’s just one of many new safety measures the university has implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19 when students, faculty and staff return for the start of fall classes on Aug. 24."
RELATED: UCF spends $5 million to update safety, cleaning for students
UCF is thought to be one of the first universities to provide face coverings this way.
The university bought 100,000 reusable, cloth face coverings branded with the UCF logo, with one allotted for each student, faculty or staff member. Students and employees will just need to swipe a valid university ID card to receive their free face covering.
"For campus visitors and those who forget their face covering, UCF also plans to make disposable masks available at low cost alongside snacks in nearly 100 other vending machines across campus. The machines also will carry other personal protective equipment, such as hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and gloves."
Students, staff and faculty will be required to wear face coverings while in all indoor shared spaces on campus and outside when 6-feet social distancing cannot be maintained.