Free N95 Masks Available Soon At CVS, Walgreens
LONG ISLAND, NY — Despite the omicron numbers tracking lower each day in New York, the federal government is rolling out free N95 masks as another layer of protection against COVID-19.
The Biden administration already secured more than 400 million at-home COVID-19 tests to mail directly.
CVS and Walgreens, pharmacies that have been offering the vaccine and booster shots, are now going to receive a surplus of N95 masks to free distribution.
A CVS spokesperson said they will have the masks available in the coming weeks through their participation in Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.
"Our work to distribute high-quality masks as part of this program is an extension of our commitment to providing equitable access to the tools necessary to combat COVID-19, including testing, vaccines, and authorized therapies," the CVS spokesperson said in a statement.
No specific details on which CVS locations will have the masks and exactly when.
As for Walgreens, they will have N95s of "varying sizes available free of charge at participating Walgreens locations while supplies last."
The pharmacy chain also said customers and patients can pick up a maximum of three masks per person.
"We expect the first stores to begin offering masks on Friday, Jan. 28, and will continue on a rolling basis in the days and weeks following," a Walgreens spokesperson said.
The latest COVID-19 data indicates the positivity rate is at 11.7 percent on Long Island, according to Gov. Hochul's office.
This article originally appeared on the Rockville Centre Patch
