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New York City has become the land of mask vending machines. Need a new face mask while on the go? It won't be hard to find.
We first saw the mask vending machines on Delancey Street on the Lower East Side, and since then, others have popped up in popular hubs like Columbus Circle's Turnstyle Underground Market.
But now, they'll be more widespread since masks are officially required when taking the subway. This week, the MTA announced that it is installing PPE vending machines in 10 subway stations across the city, where riders can purchase reusable masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and other PPE.
"We want to make it as easy as possible for customers who may not have masks to get them so they can ride the subway," Sarah Feinberg, the interim president of the MTA, said in a statement. "Wearing a mask is the single most important thing our customers can do to protect themselves and those around them – and more than that, it’s absolutely required to ride the system."
The PPE vending machines will pop up at the following stations:
- 14 St-Union Square
- 34 St-Herald Square (two machines)
- 34 St-Penn Station - 1, 2, 3 lines
- 34 St-Penn Station - A, C, E lines
- 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal - A, C, E lines
- 42 St-Times Square (two machines)
- 59 St-Columbus Circle
- 74 St-Roosevelt Av
- Atlantic Av-Barclays Center
- Lexington Av - E and M lines
The MTA is in the process of giving out 2 million single-use surgical masks as well as hand sanitizer to customers at station booths. The new machines come as a useful compliment to the freebies.
If you're consider prices of the PPE while on the fly, a ten-pack of surgical masks will cost you $12.49, or $1.25 a mask. KN95 masks cost $10 each, reusable cloth masks are set at $5.99, disinfectant wipes are $2.25, and a 2-oz bottle of hand sanitizer is $4.99. Need to re-up on everything? They'll also have kits available to buy with a mask, sanitizing wipes, and a pair of gloves inside ($6.49).