Walmart just made a fairly big announcement regarding N-95 masks being distributed in stores (for free)— and as the Omicron variant continues to spread across the nation—it’s good news!
Last week, a White House official told CNN that the Biden Administration plans to make 400 million N95 masks available to Americans for free in the coming weeks as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, the most recent step aimed at combating the latest United States Covid-19 surge.
Walmart told USA Today that the masks would be “available by the second week of February at the front of more than 5,100 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs across the country.” The masks will be available, while supplies last, and will be limited to three masks per person, as the White House official also reiterated to CNN.
The masks are coming from the Strategic National Stockpile and will also be available free of cost at many pharmacies and community health centers, the official said, adding that the program will be "fully up and running by early February," and that this is "the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in US history."
On January 14th, The CDC updated its mask information, and mentioned that some types of masks provide more protection against COVID-19 and the variant Omicron, than others.
Regarding the updated guidelines, many health experts advocate for using N-95 masks as opposed to cloth ones, since the former offers more protection because they filter out both large and small particles when the wearer inhales.
"Masking is a critical public health tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and it is important to remember that any mask is better than no mask," the CDC said in a statement. "To protect yourself and others from COVID-19, CDC continues to recommend that you wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently."
So, if you shop at Walmart and want to pick up three free N-95 masks, stay alert in the coming weeks and as officials said, expect them to be available early into February.
