5,000 respirator masks were just found in the crypts of the Washington National Cathedral

Hope is sometimes found in the most unexpected places.

A stonemason recently discovered boxes containing more than 5,000 respirator masks on the crypt level beneath the Washington National Cathedral, in Washington, D.C., The Washington Post reports. Most of the masks will be donated to local hospitals at a time when extra medical supplies are crucial as the nation's capital, like every other city in the United States, prepares to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

The masks were reportedly purchased about 10 years ago for what the Post describes as "a previous health scare," presumably referring to the 2009 swine flu pandemic, which ultimately didn't require such a drastic response. But over-preparing turned out to help in the long run, anyway. Read more at The Washington Post.

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