Free N95 masks are being sent to stores, pharmacies. Here’s where you can find them
The White House is distributing 400 million N95 masks for protection against the coronavirus and the omicron variant, and national chains are among the sites where you can pick one up for free.
The release of the masks comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said N95 masks offer the highest level of protection against COVID-19. As the omicron variant rapidly spread through the United States in December and January, experts have suggested Americans ditch cloth masks in favor of N95s.
Here’s a list of stores and pharmacies where you can find the highly protective and free N95 masks throughout the United States.
Walgreens
Walgreens will offer N95 masks in varying sizes at participating locations, a company spokesperson said in a statement to McClatchy News. Customers and patients will be allowed to pick up three per person.
“We expect the first stores to begin offering masks on Friday, January 28 and will continue on a rolling basis in the days and weeks following,” the spokesperson said. “Participating stores will have signage indicating mask availability.”
CVS
You can also find them at CVS, where they will be offered “in the coming weeks,” a company spokesperson told McClatchy.
“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.
Kroger
Kroger stores with pharmacies will also receive N95 masks, and a spokesperson said in a statement to McClatchy its stores will receive their allotment later this week.
“As part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, Kroger Health is incredibly proud to be part of the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history and continue our partnership with the Biden Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to reduce the spread of the aggressive Omicron variant in the communities we serve,” Dr. Marc Watkins, Kroger’s chief medical officer, said in a statement.
Meijer
An estimated 3 million masks will be sent to Meijer stores across the Midwest, the chain said in a news release.
“The N95 masks will be in boxes set on a table near the Meijer greeter stand of the grocery entrance,” Meijer said. “The greeter, who will be wearing gloves, will place the N95 masks in piles of three for the customers to take.”
Rite Aid
Customers at Rite Aid will also be able to get up to three masks per person, a company spokesperson told McClatchy. They will be available “later this week” at in-store displays or on the pharmacy counter.
”We are proud to help make these free high-quality masks easily accessible and convenient for our customers at all of our locations, providing them with another tool in the continued fight against COVID-19,” a spokesperson said.
Hy-Vee
N95 masks have arrived at some Hy-Vee grocery stores, a spokesperson told CNN.
“At this time, many Hy-Vee pharmacy locations have received and are distributing their mask allocations. All 275 Hy-Vee pharmacies in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin will have masks by mid-week,” a spokesperson for Hy-Vee said in a statement to CNN.
Walmart and Sam’s Club
The masks will be made available at select Walmart and Sam’s Club locations “over the next few weeks,” according to an email statement from the company obtained by The Sacramento Bee.
You can pick up three masks per person, and all stores will eventually offer the masks.
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