Free N95 masks on way to Valley pharmacies

Pharmacy chains in the Rio Grande Valley are preparing to rollout the distribution of free N95 masks this month or early February.

The Biden Administration announced last week that it would make available some 400 million N95 mask following the recommendations by federal officials that N95 masks work better than cloth masks, the Associated Press reported.

A Walgreens spokesperson on Tuesday said “We are pleased to partner with the Administration to make N95 masks in varying sizes available free of charge at participating Walgreens locations while supplies last. 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. Participating stores will have signage indicating mask availability.”

The White House said that the masks will come from the government’s Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of the highly protective masks on hand, according to the Associated Press.

A spokesperson for CVS said, “Through our continued participation in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, we’ll be offering access to free N95 masks at CVS Pharmacy locations in the coming weeks as we receive supply from the Federal Government. 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.”

Since the pandemic began back in 2020 and health officials recommended the use of facial mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus, many businesses began making cloth masks available to the public. Individuals also joined in the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 by making their own cloth masks at home. From there, they began purchasing the blue masks worn by hospital workers.

A spokesperson for Walmart said, “From the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked to meet the needs of our communities and help keep them safe and healthy by setting-up COVID testing sites, administering tens of millions of vaccines and boosters, and dispensing authorized COVID-19 oral antiviral medications. We are proud to continue to serve our customers, members and associates now through N95 mask distribution as part of the US Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. We anticipate masks will 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 for individuals to pick-up three masks per person as determined by the federal government to help keep themselves and others healthy, while supplies last.”