FREE N95 Masks Next Week from The US Government
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The White House announced that the US Government will begin offering FREE N95 masks to Americans starting next week. Recently, the CDC updated its guidance on face coverings to state that properly fitted N95 and KN95 masks offer the most protection against COVID-19 (compared to cloth face coverings).
About 400 million of these highly protective masks will be given away as part of this initiative. The masks will come from the government’s Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of the N95 masks on hand.
The free N95 masks will begin shipping this week for distribution at pharmacies and community health centers nationwide. Masks will be available beginning late next week at locations that partnered with the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
The White House said that there will be three masks available per person. Additional details were not provided, so we still don’t know whether child-sized masks will be available or whether the masks can be reworn.
The best way to ensure that you’re receiving NIOSH-approved masks is to get one directly from a health-care professional. Next week, the Biden administration will start giving out three free N95 masks to every person that visits a community health center, as well as participating pharmacies and retailers like CVS, Costco and Walmart.
You can find a health center near you here and see which pharmacies and retailers are participating with this program in your state here. You might want to call ahead for availability, however, as the program will only be “fully up and running by early February,” according to a White House official.
https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-free-n95-masks-program-2b4a59953281ca16028244ab9a5b1d6e
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Mfr. Model # DC300N95: Ugly/cheap/genuine alternative if Grainger has a store nearby.
https://www.grainger.com/product/HONEYWELL-Disposable-Respirator-56LA92
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I have yet to try any of these; usually just go with a blue surgical one or a cloth one. Are these ok to breath with in continuous use? Compared to blue surgical ones
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@mommyofhandk said in FREE N95 Masks Next Week from The US Government:
I have yet to try any of these; usually just go with a blue surgical one or a cloth one. Are these ok to breath with in continuous use? Compared to blue surgical ones
Depends on what you consider safe. N95 and KN95 masks are made of plastic (so are surgical masks BTW). Plastic off gasses dozens of chemicals, most of which are considered toxic and/or the have unknown health impacts from breathing in these fumes for long periods. If you have to wear masks for extended periods (e.g., all day at work), you may be better off with a triple ply, tightly woven cloth mask with a nose clip. The N95 (and, to a lesser degree, well fitting KN95 and non-woven surgical masks with nose wires) are better at filtering out Omicron and other particulate matter but what if there is a risk of them giving you cancer or another serious disease? There is no answer to this question yet so you have to weigh the pros and cons and decide which you feel more comfortable with. Cloth masks can also be combined with filters to make them more effective.
Of course, no matter what type of mask you wear, wearing your mask properly is essential. Here are instructions for getting the most out of each type of mask: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html .
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@mommyofhandk N95 masks are worn all day by front line medical workers.
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@mommyofhandk Personally, I find them easier to wear than lesser masks because they have actual structure and stand up on their own–there’s no tendency to inhale them like happens with cloth or surgical masks.
There is a slight resistance to breathing, the best way I can describe it is that I feel like I’m something like 1,000’ higher than I really am–for most situations, a non-issue. I have worn them when over 10,000’ and ascending (and carrying 25 pounds of stuff on my back.)
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Find a pharmacy partner or health center near you where the 3 free pp N95 masks are distributed starting Friday 1/28/22.
https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/retail-pharmacy-program/participating-pharmacies.html
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@frugalpete said in FREE N95 Masks Next Week from The US Government:
@mommyofhandk N95 masks are worn all day by front line medical workers.
We wear N95 covered with a surgical mask in our office when someone has respiratory symptoms of any kind. We have dedicated negative pressure exam rooms for them. Also all the other stuff (gown, double glove, eye protection, etc.). It’s uncomfortable, we have to talk louder and may have to pause to take a deep breath when speaking. We wear Just one mask and nothing else for folks in whom we don’t suspect COVID. We re-use the N95’s but toss the outer surgical mask used when seeing people with respiratory symptoms. Hospital workers taking care of COVID folks also wear leg & shoe covers as well as 2 head coverings. Hospitals may have a few negative pressure rooms but the majority of rooms are not negative pressure.
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I went to our Lowe’s last week and they had individually wrapped kn95 masks by the door for free. I picked up one even though I haven’t worn a mask in about a year, just in case.
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They were handing out 3 N95 masks per person yesterday at Meijer so I grabbed 3 masks.
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Thanks for the reports.
Our Lowes and Meijer are close to each other.
Ms SOZ and I will run tomorrow to fetch the gummint cheese. (and loss leaders at the grocers)
