Free N95 masks: Here’s how to get yours

covid-19-masks-n95-cnet-2021-011

The CDC recently updated its guidance to say N95 respirators  “offer the highest level of protection” against the spread of COVID-19.


Sarah Tew/CNET

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

The government is making millions of N95 protective masks available to the public for free as part of the Biden administration’s ongoing campaign to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 400 million masks are being shipped to pharmacies and health centers from the Strategic National Stockpile, a federal repository of emergency medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. 

Some regional chains have already started handing out the free masks, but most larger companies are expected to begin disbursing them next week. Customers will be limited to three masks per person, officials said, to “ensure broad access for all Americans.” 

White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients called the rollout “the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in US history,” in a Jan. 21 press briefing.  

Find out where you can pick up your masks, when they’re available and why experts say N95 masks are superior.

For more, find out the difference between N95, KN95 and KF94 masks; the best brand masks on the market and how you can get rapid at-home COVID tests for free.

US-RETAIL-STORE

CVS is one of several pharmacy chains making free high-quality N95 masks available to customers.


Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images

Where will the masks be available?

CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Rite Aid, Publix, Walmart and Sam’s Club are among the many US retailers that joined the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program to begin free distribution of N95 masks. 

Stop & Shop indicated it will give out N95 masks at all of its Rhode Island locations, available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Click here for a full list of participating pharmacies.

When will the masks be available?

You should expect to start seeing free masks in most participating stores in early February, according to Zients.

“We’ve already shipped millions of these masks out,” he said in the briefing. “And across the coming days, masks will begin to be available at local pharmacies and community health centers across the country.”

Hy-Vee, a grocery chain in the Midwest and South, already began issuing masks on Friday, CNN reported, and in-store pharmacies at Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Más and Harvey’s locations in the southeastern US could start dolling theirs out as early as this Friday.

Most participating pharmacies haven’t given an exact timeline, though a Walmart spokesperson told CNET via email that the masks “will be available over the next few weeks.”

“Eventually, all Walmart and Sam’s Club locations will have N95 masks,” they added.

CVS also said it would begin offering free masks in the coming weeks. “We are currently finalizing the operational details of this program and will provide more information once available,” the company said in an announcement.

N95 masks of varying sizes will be available to the public at Walgreens “in the near future,” a company spokesperson said, according to NBC 5 in Chicago 

Why are N95 masks better?    

According to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, N95 masks, “offer the highest level of protection” against the spread of COVID-19. 

While CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has said “any mask is better than no mask,” N95 respirators can filter out at least 95% of aerosol particulates as small as 0.3 microns. 

The elastic headband and adjustable metal band over the bridge of the nose on an N95 mask also help create a much tighter seal than cloth masks.

Inspected and approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, N95s are also made from polypropylene, a plastic with an embedded electric charge that attracts foreign particles — like viral droplets — and traps them inside the fibers of the mask.

According to an August 2020 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association N95s are the “mainstay of protection against airborne pathogens.”  

Read more: 8 COVID-19 face mask myths putting people at risk today

When do I need to wear an N95 mask?

Because of supply-chain issues, the CDC previously recommended N95 masks be reserved for health care workers. With more than 750 million masks in the Strategic National Stockpile’s reserves, the agency now says there are enough for them to be worn by anyone who wants to. 

The agency clarified that “surgical N95s,” a specific type of respirator with additional safeguards, should still be reserved for health care workers.

When should you wear an N95 mask?

The CDC recommends an N95 respirator:

  • When you take public transportation, like a plane or subway.

  • If you are in a crowded indoor or outdoor space and can’t socially distance yourself.

  • If your job requires you to interact with large groups of people, like a bus driver, teacher, or supermarket clerk, especially if masking isn’t strictly enforced.  

  • If you are unvaccinated or not up to date on your booster shots.

  • If you’re at an increased risk of developing a severe response to COVID-19.

  • If you’re taking care of someone who has tested positive for COVID 19

Most N95s masks are designed for adult faces and lungs, with just a handful of manufacturers making KN95s and other high-quality masks suitable for young children.

How much do N95 masks cost?

The demand – and price – for N95 masks jumped after the CDC revised its guidance, according to Bloomberg:  A 50-pack of Kimberly-Clark N95 cost about $24 in early October but now retails on Amazon for about $57.

N95 masks typically come in packs of 10, 20 or 50. On Project N95, a nonprofit that vets personal protective equipment, the cost of a box of masks worked out to about $2-$2.50 per mask.  

Read more: The best face masks to avoid spreading COVID-19

Can you reuse N95 masks?

Yes, but not forever: According to the CDC, you shouldn’t don’t use an N95 mask more than five times total, and any deterioration or fraying of the straps means it should be thrown out.

The medical consensus is the SARS COVID-19 virus doesn’t last on surfaces for more than three days. According to a report in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, cycling through your N95s every three or four days will ensure they’re virus-free. 

How to avoid counterfeit masks

As demand for high-quality masks has surged, so have knockoffs: According to the CDC, 60% of KN95 masks did not meet required standards.

To make sure your N95 respirator isn’t counterfeit, look for the NIOSH approval symbol, which should start with the letters “TC,”  followed by seven digits.

Ignore anything labeled  “FDA registered”: According to the FDA website, facilities involved in the production of medical devices are required to register annually, but that doesn’t imply they’ve been approved or authorized.

Look closely at seller ratings and product reviews and be suspicious of new sellers that seem to pop up out of nowhere.

Since KN95 respirators aren’t regulated by NIOSH, it’s harder to spot a fake. But the FDA still keeps a roster of approved KN95 masks from 2020, when it approved them for use under an Emergency Use Authorization.

The CDC also has a list of non-NIOSH-approved N95s, KN95s, KF94s and other protective masks that have gone through filtration testing, including known counterfeits. 

The best way to ensure that you’re receiving a NIOSH-approved mask, though, is to get one directly from a health care professional or reputable retailers like CVS or Walgreens.

 You can also rely on trusted online resellers like Project N95.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

source: cnet.com