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Wake County to distribute free N95 masks. Here’s how to get one.

Jessica Banov
·1 min read

Wake County will distribute free N95 masks at several locations starting Thursday as more people seek the heavy-duty respirators.

The free masks, provided by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services will be given out Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the following locations:

The masks will be available at the center’s information desks.

They also will distributed to those who have appointments at testing sites and vaccination clinics.

NCDHHS provided 200,000 masks to the county, and others will be distributed to those in “high risk and underserved populations,” the county said in a release.

Meanwhile, 400 million free N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile are expected to be shipped out by the end of the week, McClatchy News reported. They’ll be available for free at pharmacies and community health centers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its mask guidance, saying cloth masks no longer are as effective at combating the spread of COVID-19, particularly the highly contagious omicron variant.

The N95 and KN95 masks offer the highest level of protection with their multiple layers and better fit.

For more on these masks, including where you can order them and how to spot counterfeit masks, read The News & Observer’s guide.

Looking for N95 or KN95 masks? Where to find them and how to spot fakes