The Biden Administration announced in mid-January that N95 masks will be available to Americans free of charge by early February. The masks the federal government is sending were manufactured in the U.S according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it,” Biden said in remarks on his administration’s coronavirus response. “But there is a – they’re a really important tool to stop the spread, especially of the highly transmittable Omicron variant. So, please, please wear the mask.”

This is the latest step the federal government has taken in response to the most recent surge of  COVID-19 in the US. The masks are followed by the launch of free COVID-19 test program which offers a maximum of four per household.

Tests can be ordered online at: https://www.covidtests.gov/

The N95 masks will be available at local retailers including CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart followed by pharmacies and health centers across the United States.

Those who pick up masks will be limited to three per person according to federal officials followed by CDC updating its masks guidelines. Cloth masks can still be worn, but CDC recommends that individuals wear fitted N95 or KN95 masks instead as those coverings have been proven to be  more effective at protecting from the Omicron variant.

The latest CDC mask guidelines can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html