US to begin distributing 400m free N95 masks to pharmacies and health centers

Biden administration's latest effort to combat surge in cases caused by Omicron variant

The US government will begin distribution of 400m free N95 masks to pharmacies and community health centers this week, in the Biden administration's latest effort to combat a surge in cases caused by the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

N95 and KN95 masks are considered more protective against Covid-19 than surgical and cloth masks, which are still widely used. The free mask distribution comes alongside the launch of a federal government website where US residents can order four free at-home rapid Covid tests per household through the postal service.