Pharmacies are already distributing free N95 masks and Covid-19 tests begin to arrive by mail

Alexandra Ferguson

(CNN)-As the free Covid-19 tests are reaching the mailboxes of the people who requested them, the first free N95 masks for the public begin to reach US pharmacies, and there will be more on their way in the nextdays.

The Biden government intends to increase access to high quality masks amid the propagation of the coronavirus omicron variant, highly transmissible.Meanwhile, free tests began to be sent last week, they compete for the administration's effort for increasing access to tests throughout the United States.

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The masks are already ready for distribution in some HY-VEE and Meiijer.

“Last week the masks began to be sent and to reach the pharmacies and grocery stores of all (El) country.We hope that throughout the week the number of stores and N95s that arrive significantly, ”said an administration official to CNN this Monday.

The Biden government announced last week that the 400 million masks N95, from the strategic National Reserve, will be distributed to community pharmacies and health centers, and the program is expected to be fully in operation in early February.The masks are reaching their destinations accompanied by brochures and posters of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is responsible for the payment of masks.

"Put on the mask and maximize your protection," the brochures say, encouraging Americans to "help stop the propagation of COVID protecting themselves and those around them".

Sub of the 400 million n95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile Are Starting to Arrive at Pharmacies Across The Country.Here’s The Accompanying Flyer and branding from @hhsgov, which includes a qr code link with more information.pic.Twitter.com/7ncgowrckp - Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) January 24, 2022

The brochure, which is distributed in both English and Spanish, points out that there are up to three free masks "available for each person in the United States".It also invites people to review the CDC website.Gov/Coronavirus and includes a QR code with instructions on how to put on and take off the masks correctly.

The Biden government will distribute 400 million masks N95 to citizens

The masks are being distributed at the same time that some people in the United States are receiving packages from the US postal service.UU.With free antigen tests.

Gourjoine Wade, from San Antonio, Texas, told CNN that he requested the tests on the day Covidtests was launched.GOV last week.I wanted to have them by hand and ready for when I needed them.

"It is another tool in the toolbox to keep me, my family and our community safe," said Wade.

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Where to get the masks

Some of the first masks arrived at the west media last Friday, including HY-VEE groceries in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Meijer stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

The masks will also begin to reach the premises of Southeastern Grocers as of this Friday, the official added, and will be available in fresh and more pharmacies, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie.

Mills Civic Hy-Vee in West Des Moines, Iowa, received the masks on Friday, along with almost 150 other HY-VEE stores.The photos provided by the store show the employees distributing the packages of masks wrapped individually, with brochures placed nearby so that customers take them home.

Hy-VEE stores are already distributing free N95 masks.

“I can confirm that we begin to receive and distribute our first N95 Mask shipments of the HHS on Friday, January 21.At this time, many HY-VEE pharmacies have received and are distributing their masks assignments.The 275 HY-VEE pharmacies in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin will have masks in the middle of the week, ”wrote Christina Gayman, Hy-Vee spokesman.In an email to CNN this Monday.

“We have received many positive comments from customers who are happy that we have the masks and be distributing them so quickly.We still have masks available in all the premises that have received them so far, ”added Gayman.

In Meijer establishments, the masks will be placed at tables near the stores of the stores and will be distributed by those responsible for receiving them.Meijer confirmed CNN on Monday that he has received “about 3 million masks” that will be made available to any client that needs them for free.

CVS pharmacies are also expected to receive and begin to distribute free N95 masks in the coming weeks, as the federal government supply is received, spokesman Matt Blanchette to CNN said in an email on Monday.

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Walgreens hopes that free N95 masks are available in some premises as of this Friday, according to a company spokesman.

“Nos complace asociarnos con la administración para hacer que las mascarillas N95 en varios tamaños estén disponibles de forma gratuita en los locales participantes de Walgreens hasta agotar existencias”, escribió un portavoz de WalgreensIn an email to CNN this Monday.

"Customers and patients can access a maximum of three masks per person," said email.“We hope that the first stores begin to offer the masks on Friday, January 28, and will remain continuously in the following days and weeks.The participating stores will have posters that indicate the availability of the masks ”.

The first 100 community health centers that participate in the deployment of the Federal N95 Federal Government Mask Program will also begin this week, according to Amy Simmons Farber, spokesman for the National Association of Community Health Centers, in an email sent to CNN this Monday.

The Administration of Resources and Health Services (HRSA) supervises the Program of Community Health Centers for the Federal Government, and indicates on its website that the N95 COVID-19 masks program of the health centersFrom the HRSA it will begin gradually, providing n95 masks to approximately 100 to 200 health centers in the initial phase.

"These health centers should receive and start distributing the masks before the end of January 2022," according to HRSA.Farber added that in mid -February, HRSA expects the masks to be available for all health centers.

“For now, the program is limited to about 300 community health centers to ensure that the logistics of reception, storage and distribution of masks are resolved.We understand that the program will be expanded to include more health centers as part of the Biden government effort to ensure that unattended communities have equitable access to public health tools, ”Farber wrote in email.

"We understand that these selected health centers should receive the masks at the end of January," Farber wrote.“Each individual health center will need time to develop a distribution plan and a notification process for patients.If you are a patient, see the website of your local health center to know the ads.Note that most health systems are at the limit of their capacity and workers are suffering from the exhaustion of pandemic, and health centers are no exception.Try to prevent health centers from being overwhelmed for now ”.

The "greatest deployment" of the government so far

This deployment of free masks has been described as the "greatest deployment" of the federal government to date.

"This effort represents the greatest deployment of the Strategic National Reserve to date and is also the greatest deployment of personal protective equipment in the history of the United States," Dawn O'Connell, deputy secretary of preparation and response of the HHSIn a blog.

The Centers for the Control and Prevention of EE diseases.UU.(CDC, for its acronym in English) do not plan to change their orientations on the use of masks while administration increases access to them.

CDC recommends Americans to use well tight masks, which can include several layers of fabric masks, N95 or K95.

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"The use of masks is a fundamental public health tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and it is important to remember that any mask is better than any," said the CDC in a statement earlier this month.

"Some masks and respirators offer higher levels of protection than others, and some may be more difficult to tolerate or use constantly than others," say CDC recommendations."The most important thing is to correctly use a well -adjusted mask or respirator that is comfortable and provides good protection".

By having a better adjustment and certain materials, such as polypropylene fibers, which act as both mechanical and electrostatic barriers, N95 masks help better prevent tiny particles from entering the nose or mouth and must adjust to the face to workcorrectly.

“CDC continues to recommend that any mask is better than any.And we encourage all Americans to use a well-adjusted mask to protect themselves and avoid the spread of COVID-19, ”said Dra.Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, to journalists at an informative meeting earlier this month."And that recommendation will not change".

- CNN Paul Murphy contributed this report.

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