VERNON, CT — Of all the re-tooling, re-casting and re-branding companies have gone through since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Hanes has arguably created at least the most conversational concept.

Undies as masks. Ok ... the material once designated for underwear.

Yes, they were all the rage Wednesday at a regional booster shot clinic in Vernon.

"Would you like a pack of masks?" the nice college-aged volunteer asked each person who was exiting the clinic.

"Of course," one said. She then handed him a phase of white masks and a package of hand-sanitizing wipes.

The man then took a close look at the package, then flagged down the nearest official-looking person, who happened to be Vernon Fire Marshal Dan Wasilewski.

"Ya know, these masks look a little like ..."

"Well, they are. Hanes made them for the federal government."

Vernon Town Manager and Emergency Management Director Michael Purcaro said Vernon received 10,000 masks from the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

About a year-and-a-half ago, Hanes announced that it had already produced and delivered more than 60 million cloth face coverings for the U.S. government as part of an effort to deliver more than 320 million of the washable 3-ply all-cotton masks. They are made out of material once designated for underwear.

Hanes said the masks are part of a team effort with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to supplement supplies of "nonsurgical personal protection for use during the COVID-19 pandemic."

In the summer of 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for face masks, including cloth face coverings, in response to concerns about insufficient supply and availability for use "by members of the general public and healthcare personnel for source control."

In accordance with the emergency use authorization, HanesBrands' government cloth face coverings and consumer face masks production began.

The masks can look a little like actual undies, so to thwart any possible perception, many of the providers at the clinic Wednesday were decorating them with festive themes.

The masks are machine washable.