The US Government Will Soon Offer Free N95 Masks

On January 19, the US Government announced that it will make 400 million N95 masks available to the public for free. The masks have been sent to thousands of pharmacies and community health centers across the country — including Hy-Vee, Meijer, CVS, Walgreens and Kroger — where you can pick up a maximum of three masks per person. N95 masks have been in short supply and many on the market are fake. According to a White House official's statement to CNN, this program is expected to be fully up-and-running by early February 2022. This comes after the US Government launched its website for people to order up to four at-home COVID tests which will be delivered to their homes for free.

N95 masks offer the most secure fit on the face and have finely woven filtering layers, making them the most protective mask at preventing the spread of COVID than other mask types. Currently, the CDC advises people to wear the most protective mask they can access. "It is important to remember that any mask is better than no mask," the CDC says.