How To Get Free N95 Masks

N95 masks offer 95 percent protection from airborne particulates as small as 0.3 microns

After rolling out the free at-home COVID-19 testing kits, the Biden administration will soon begin offering free N95 masks to Americans.

The 400 million non-surgical N95 masks are expected to come from the country’s Strategic National Stockpile and will become available within the next few weeks.

People will be able to acquire the free masks at local pharmacies and community health centers nationwide. There will be a limit of three masks per person.

The free mask program is expected to be “fully up and running by early February,” according to a White House official. “This is the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in US history,” the statement read.

The 400 million masks will be taken from the 750 million masks stored in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile.

“To ensure broad access for all Americans, there will be three masks available per person. In addition to this program, thanks to the administration’s efforts, these high-quality masks are in ample supply and widely available to American consumers,” the official said.

President Bident is expected to share more details about the upcoming mask program on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET during a scheduled news conference at the White House.

The move follows the announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommended the use of N95 masks and other fitted face coverings to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The N95 masks, which have been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, reportedly filter 95% of airborne particles and offer “the highest level of protection” against the virus.

The latest step to stop the spread of the virus comes as the number of positive COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant.

Data from Johns Hopkins University found an average of more than 750,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported daily in the last week