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The Biden Administration has just announced that they are giving away 400 million free N95 masks for pickup at your local pharmacy.
This is in addition to the four free COVID-19 tests that they are giving out via the U.S. Postal Service.
The CDC says that well-fitting N95 masks offer “the highest level of protection” against Covid-19, providing much better coverage than standard surgical masks.
Here’s what you need to know:
Get 3 free N95 masks at your local pharmacy beginning Jan. 24, 2022.
Free masks will be available at your local pharmacy or health center starting around Jan. 24.
Each person will be able to grab 3 masks per person, but we’re still waiting for exactly how these masks will be distributed and which specific locations will carry them.
There are reports that Hy-Vee and Meijer grocery stores in the Midwest have already started distributing masks, and Winn-Dixie and other Southeastern Grocers stores following later this week. All the masks are expected to ship by early February, so if your pharmacy doesn’t carry the masks in late January, don’t worry. They’re coming.
Also: These will be adult-sized masks; no kid masks are included in this program.
N95 masks regularly cost up between $0.75 – $3.50 each.
It’s been tough to find N95 masks online since the pandemic began, and when you can find them, you’re going to spend at least $15.00 because they come in packs.
Here are the cheapest prices we’ve seen per mask online:
The government is also offering free COVID-19 tests.
If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for your free at-home COVID-19 tests from COVIDtests.gov. There are no additional shipping fees and will start shipping late Jan.
You can also get a free medical face mask at grocery and retail stores.
The most essential accessory right now is face masks, which can be high-end designer numbers or cheap disposables. Here’s how to get free face masks, because free is always better than cheap. There are plenty of stores and businesses that are requiring face masks, but the good news is, a good number of them offer surgical-type cloth masks for free.
This list is not exhaustive, and availability may vary by store location.
- Apple Store
- Athleta
- Best Buy
- Big Lots
- CVS
- Fred Meyer
- Home Depot
- HomeGoods
- Lowe’s
- Lush
- Kohl’s
- Kroger
- Nordstrom Rack
- Marshalls
- Old Navy
- REI
- Ross
- Sam’s Club
- Sierra Reading Post
- Target
- TJMaxx
- Torrid
- Toy Town
- Trader Joe’s
- Walgreens
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
Learn how to make your own mask out of a T-shirt
You’ve probably got the supplies lying around, and if you’re anything like me, then you have about five T-shirts that you’ll never wear again… why not upcycle them into a useful and cheap mask?
Hang with us, and we’ll show you how to make your own mask in 10 easy steps.
