Joe Biden
The Biden administration plans to distribute 400 million high-quality N95 masks for adults free of charge starting next week.
A White House official said the masks will be available at thousands of pharmacies and other locations. The distribution of the masks is the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history.
The N95 masks will come from the government’s Strategic National Stockpile. U.S. officials are starting to ship masks at the end of this week. The masks will be available at pharmacies and community health centers late next week. The program will be fully up and running by early February. There will be three masks available per adult.
With the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus spurring record levels of infections and hospitalizations, public health experts have repeatedly said masking, especially with superior-quality products, is an important tool to control spread of the airborne virus.
N95 and KN95s are known as respirators that filter out most virus particles — and come with markings to indicate they are authentic. Both types of masks must form a seal to the face to work properly.
The announcement comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided its most explicit guidance to date on the protection offered by masks. Well-fitting respirators, such as the N95 products that are approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, “offer the highest level of protection” in reducing the spread of the virus, compared with cloth coverings and other masks.
Signs will be displayed prominently at locations to instruct consumers on how to use the masks.
The CDC says “loosely woven cloth coverings” offer the least protection. Well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95 masks offer more protection. Well-fitting respirators, including N95 masks, offer the highest level.
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