What exactly are N95 masks, where can you buy them, and when can you find them for free? We explain.
. For N95s, look for a NIOSH approval label that starts with TC and is followed by seven digits.
Another way to ensure that you're receiving NIOSH-approved masks is to get one directly from a healthcare professional.N95 masksThis means every person who visits a community health center or participating retailers, including Costco, CVS and Walmart, will be given free N95s. The White House announced Wednesday that the masks will come from the government's Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of the highly protective masks on hand. The masks will be available for pickup at pharmacies and community health centers across the country. They will begin shipping this week for distribution starting late next week, the White House said.
The government said that "to ensure broad access for all Americans, there will be three masks available per person.". In early 2020, then-President Donald Trump's administration considered and then shelved plans to send masks to all Americans at their homes.President Joe Biden embraced the initiative after facing mounting criticism this month over the inaccessibility — both in supply and cost — of N95 masks as the highly transmissible omicron variant swept across the country.
Bottom line: The best mask "is the one that you will wear and the one you can keep on all day long, that you can tolerate in public indoor settings," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said last week.