HHS extends COVID-19 health emergency for 8th time; Free N95 mask giveaway

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Hope my CVS location will be participating  in N95 mask distribution - 3 masks/person will be provided.

Received in ANA Smart Brief email.

HHS extends COVID-19 health emergency for 8th time

Quote

HHS has extended the COVID-19 public health emergency for the eighth time, continuing flexibility and resources granted to health care professionals to care for COVID-19 patients, among other benefits, for another 90 days. Meanwhile, the White House plans to distribute 400 million N95 masks for free through community sites and pharmacies, as part of efforts to mitigate the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Full Story: Becker's Hospital Review (1/19),  Politico (1/19) 

 

Visit the COVID Vaccine Facts for Nurses website for relevant, accurate and up-to-date information as well as expert perspectives about the safety, efficacy and importance of COVID-19 vaccines.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

10 minutes ago, NRSKarenRN said:

Hope my CVS location will be participating  in N95 mask distribution - 3 masks/person will be provided.

Received in ANA Smart Brief email.

HHS extends COVID-19 health emergency for 8th time

Full Story: Becker's Hospital Review (1/19),  Politico (1/19) 

 

Visit the COVID Vaccine Facts for Nurses website for relevant, accurate and up-to-date information as well as expert perspectives about the safety, efficacy and importance of COVID-19 vaccines.

Well just because the retailers are getting free masks doesn’t mean their required to give them away. Retailers in my area never gave out free N95 masks and continue to get top dollar for them. I went through my “Zombie Apocalypse “stash and am restocking that now along with a stock of anti-inflammatory medicines etc…

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

The 400 million newly available masks will be non-surgical N95s that are sourced from the government's Strategic National Stockpile; that's about 1/2 of  the replenished national stock supply from start of the pandemic.

Three masks per person are to be provided FREE.  Most of the pharmacies that are part of the federal pharmacy vaccine program will distribute the masks.