01/19/2022

Biden Administration to Distribute 400 Million Free N95 Masks

The mask distribution is to protect against omicron

The Biden administration will make 400 million N95 masks available for free at thousands of locations across the country, a White House official said Wednesday, as health experts stress the importance of high-quality face coverings to protect against the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The plan consists of working with pharmacies and community health centers to distribute the nonsurgical masks, which will come from the Strategic National Stockpile. The administration will begin shipments this week and hopes to have the program fully operational by early February, the White House official said.

Dr. Tom Inglesby, the administration's COVID testing coordinator, said in an interview, "We know that these masks provide better protection than cloth masks."

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